All We Need To Survive
by Jac Danvers
Summary: What if there were other survivors of Flight 815? How about new faces with the Kahana and the Others? How will they change their fates, when the past in unchangeable? SUBMISSIONS OPEN, see chapter 10!
1. All We Need To Survive

_**All We Need To Survive:**_

_**An Original Character Story  
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	2. Introducing Our Newest Island Additions

**The Midsection!**

_Natalie Shephard_- A feisty orphaned teenager trying to reunite with her family, and is finally having the opportunity on the island. _Created by GangsterDuckies_

_Nikole Mosley_- A champion volleyball player who's slowly overcoming childhood hardship and trying to do right by the sister that raised her. _Created by Lostlova815_

_Mia Prince_- A manipulative yet brilliant teenager who will do anything to survive on the island, no matter what the cost. _Created by Passionately Purple Paramour_

_Brad Donegan_ – A vocalist from a hugely successful band who is recovering slowly after paying the price of fame, and trying to decipher both his disturbing dreams as well as how to connect with his son Christopher. _Created by Golden-Black Dragon_

_Ryan Lucas_- A quiet young man who's haunted after being contacted by his sister he lost during their childhood. _Created by Son of Adam._

_Katherine Williams- _A successful doctor and overprotected mother on the run from her stalker ex-boyfriend and father of her daughter, Elizabeth. _Created by Charlotte Lewis_

_Mackenzie Littleton_- An opinionated woman coming to terms with the complexity of her family and trying to care for her pregnant cousin. _Created by AlexaGeorge_

_Jay Langdon_- A cynical and reserved freelance photographer with a great sense of duty and knowledge of even greater secrets. _Created by Northern Wolf_

_Lalah Wilson-Mqwebu- _A soft spoken and hard working business woman who overcame great odds, and now wants only to be reunited with her wife and children. _Created by DiorNicole_

_Iris Palmer- _An independent, stubborn woman who's reintroducing herself to the real world after years of traveling. _Created by Unidentified Pineapples_

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**The Tail Section!!!**

_Alice Evans_- An optimistic archaeologist with a connection to the island greater than she realizes. _Created by Charlotte Lewis_

_Lucy Neilson_- A peace keeping young woman hoping for a safe delivery of her unborn child, and to find a way to make peace with her father. _Created by Hope_

_Alison Ward_- A trusting young woman returning home from an around the world trip to rediscover who she is after a broken engagement. _Created by MoonlightGardenias_

_J.P. Carlton-_ A diplomatic young man who, while preferring to allow others to lead, manages to bring hope to the survivors nonetheless. _Created by GreenTeaHoney_

_Russ Knowles- _An exceedingly honest young man who can't help but flirt with the ladies as he works to survive on the island. _Created by GuitarHeroLost_

_Gavin Tesla-_ A successful business man hiding behind a slacker's persona, who has no use for anyone who is too busy looking at the overall to help the individuals. _Created by Jac Danvers_

_Anthony Prince_- A ruthless business man who has instilled his values in his young daughter. _Created by Passionately Purple Paramour_

_Shawn Davenport- _An intelligent, but unfocused, teen running from mysterious happenings back in Australia. _Created by Golden-Black Dragon_

_Sophie Stevens- _An actress returning home from a shoot in Australia, who is grieving for the cousin she lost in the wreck. _Created by AlexaGeorge_

_Katya Ivanov- _A Russian woman hell bent on finding and killing the woman who killed her only child. _Created by Elyad._

_Nandi Mqwebu- _A successful business woman who cannot forgive herself for an argument with her wife before the plane crash. _Created by Diornicole_

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**Others!!!**

_Peyten Alexander_- A rebellious girly-girl who, although she loves her best friends, desparately wants her parents back. _Created by GuitarHeroLost_

_Senna Markov_- A thrill-seeking Russian ballerina who came to the island for her boyfriend, but discovered a life there of her own. _Created by HeroineInducedPanic_

_Oliver Rossdale_- A confident yet mistrustful man, dedicated completely to the protection of the island. _Created by MoonlightGardenias_

_Anna Lucas_- A cold yet courageous woman who wants only to reunite her family and and save her brother from the same fate as her. _Created by Son of Adam_

_Kit Burke-_ A lovestruck young man torn between loyalty to his sister and being true to his own belief. _Created by Waiwhat_

_Blair Wilson-_ A shy woman who has Ben's full confidence, and is one of the few who has survived since the days of the Dharma Initiative. _Created by GangsterDuckies_

_Cassandra Beckett- _A sad young woman who longs to escape the confines of the life imposed upon her by the Others. _Created by AlexaGeorge_

_Eric Rom-_ The adopted son of Ethan Rom who will do anything to make a fool of his father. _Created by AlexaGeorge_

_Madelyn Smithson- _A naive and trusting woman, who's obsession and unrequited love for Ben can turn her closest friend into her fiercest enemy. _Created by xLostxFanaticx_

_Kim Li Chen- _A cunning, streetwise teen who's ability to survive and adapt to adverse conditions makes her a valuable member of Ben's team. _Created by Elyad._

_Emily Higgins- _A somewhat spoiled teen who's grown to love life on the island with her father. _Created by Moonlight Gardenias_

_Jason King- _A levelheaded and charismatic scientist who came to the island for research, but found something more. _Created by HeroineInducedPanic_

_Joshua Green- _A child of the Dharma Initiative, although he had problems with Ben as a child, he has come to find that they are almost friends when united to protect the island they love. _Created by Golden-Black Dragon_

_Rebecca Chase- _A woman who's lived on the island longer than any of the others remember, and answers solely to Richard Alpert. _Created by Charlotte Lewis_

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**Freighties!!!**

_Stephanie Winters- _A cautious woman who is on board the Kahana to map their journey, only to find herself reunited with a childhood friend. _Created by GuitarHeroLost_

_Corey Richards- _A blunt teenager that stowed away aboard the Kahana to avenge the death of his family after mysterious circumstances. _Created by GuitarHeroLost_

_Elodie Ivanov- _A scientist and surgeon who wants only to find forgiveness after a tragic surgery took the life of one of the people she loved. _Created by Elyad_

_Abigail Evans- _The stuck-up and antisocial scientist who is the black sheep in a family of actors and trying to find where exactly she fits. _Created by Charlotte Lewis_

_America Pierson-_ A goth girl who overcomes typical stereotypes in her role as the leading forensic expert at the FBI. _Created by AlexaGeorge_

_Aimee Todd- _An accomplished FBI agent searching for the man who murdered her fiance. _Created by PirateKnightoftheRings_

_Tony Devereaux- _An ex-soldier with criminal tendancies who has a special mission to complete for one Charles Widmore. _Created by Golden-Black Dragon._

_Eli Wheaton- _A college grad trying to find himself, and instead finds a memory of the past that he'd prefer to forget on the freigher. _Created by Jac Danvers_

_Travis Briggs_- A man with a calm exterior, but the mind of a psychopathic killer, who's on the run from the FBI. _Created by PirateKnightoftheRings_

_Edmund Donegan- _The manipulative mercenary, who kidnapped his father to force him back to the island. _Created by Golden-Black Dragon_

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**Dharma Initiative!**

_Sadie Linus_- The helpful but sarcastic teen, who dotes on her misunderstood brother. _Created by AlexaGeorge_

_Angela Lewis-_ The flirtatious and friendly Dharma nurse, with a penchant adventure and playing matchmaker. _Created by Hope_

_Azure Leming- _The optimistic and gullible herbalist, who knows a thing or two about how the way Dharma security should be run. _Created by Unidentified Pineapples_

_Eliot Lucas- _The sneaky, fun loving friend of Ben, who is unsure of just who is mother was and where her loyalties lie. _Created by Son of Adam_

_Eric West- _The sensitive and sensible Dharma mechanic, who knows deep down that he's meant for something more. _Created by Girafe13_

_Audrey Kirk- _The patient and shy Dharma orphan who holds her own in the community, and uses her love of plants to discover the organizations' secrets. _Created by Girafe13_

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**1950-70's Others!**

_Miranda Alpert_- The tough and levelheaded younger sister of Richard Alpert, who takes her undercover assignment seriously. _Created by Elyad_

_Mallory Roux- _The aggressive and guarded woman who doesn't follow orders, and has a longstanding beef with the Dharma Initiative. _Created by Dancing In The Moonlight_

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**Ajiira Flight 316!**

_Xander Fisher- _The unstable hitman, who with his associate Bram, returns to the island bent on terrorizing the survivors of 815. _Created by Golden-Black Dragon_

_Isabella Mitchel- _The pretty, intelligent con-artist who is drawn into the middle of the Widmore-Kwon war. _Created by Hope_

_Jen Widmore- _Penny's younger sister, who boards Ajiira 316 after a mysterious stranger warns her of Ben's attack and the lies of the Oceanic 11. _Created by Son of Adam_

_Charlie Kauffman-_ The intelligent and practical doctor, who, even though he's been told he should give up, refuses to stop looking for the one he loves and lost. _Created by GreenTeaHoney_

_Louisa Chang- _The slightly sarcastic and up-beat friend of Charlie's, whose own history is shrouded in a mysterious incident just a few days after her birth. _Created by GreenTeaHoney_

_Josie Mercier- _The blunt, manipulative sister of Katya and Elodie, who knows more about the island than either of her sisters will ever know. _Created by Elyad_

_Kiska Bratus - _The flirtatious and witty flight attendant, who knows that this flights destination is not quite Guam. _Created by Dance in the Moonlight._

_Indiana "Diana" Jones -_ A practical joker who started off touring colleges and ended up touring a mysterious island. _Created by _

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**Potential Spoiler Ahead!**

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_**The Island Graveyard... **_

**To remember those who went before, and the important lessons their deaths provide us...**_**  
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_Nila Spann_- Remember, when collecting fruit, one should be aware of crazy plane crash survivors and mysterious clouds of black smoke. _Created by Dior Nichole_


	3. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I am in no way related to the show Lost. None of these characters belong to me; rather they belong to the creators of the show, and the respective creators of the original characters. Grease belongs to Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Edward Scissorhands was written by Tim Burton and Caroline Thompson. Memoirs of a Geisha was written by Arthur Golden. I do not own any of these movies or books.**

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**Prologue**

"_Old age is like a plane flying through a storm. Once you're aboard, there's nothing you can do."_

_Golda Meir_

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"Hello! Earth to everyone in front of me, lady with a baby coming through!" Mackenzie Littleton announced with earsplitting vigor as she hauled her carry-on in one hand and led her cousin with the other. The airport was crowded, as usual, and no one seemed to notice that poor Claire was struggling not to fall over from the weight of her baby, much less attempt moving through the crowds. However; Mackenzie's shout seemed to have done the trick, because a small space had opened up in the crowds leading toward the line for Oceanic Flight 815.

"That line was a gem, Kenzie. Where'd you steal it from?" Claire asked breathlessly, her mind focused solely on reaching the plane in one piece.

"Oh, you know._ Grease _is just full of excellent life lessons. It worked fabulously, didn't it?"

She could sense her cousin's eye roll and couldn't help but smile. Since Thomas had walked out, Claire had been devastated. Though she had never liked the man, Mackenzie couldn't help but feel bad now that Claire had to deal with having the baby alone. She had missed her best friend. "I'm just pregnant, woman. I can still fight through a crowd!"

"That's the spirit!" a perky voice just behind the duo said. "Seriously, between the belly and my carry on, I'm like the size of Godzilla. It's just a matter of finding the Godzilla sized spaces between people."

"And when you can't find them?" Mackenzie asked with a smile as she turned to look at the blonde haired woman. She and Claire could pass as twins, as long as you only looked at their bellies. They had to be at about the same point in their pregnancies.

"God created the elbow for a reason. Mind if I walk with you? I'm heading for Oceanic 815, it's in this direction."

"No problem, that's where we're going too!"

As they got closer to their gate, the crowd thinned out more. The gate for their flight was entirely vacant. Being pregnant certainly had its advantages, as they got to board the plane earlier. The two pregnant women collapsed into the airport chairs, looked at each other, and laughed at their similar situations.

"I'm Lucy Neilson, by the way," the newest member of their group introduced herself with a smile, tying her long hair into a bun.

"Mackenzie Littleton, and this is my cousin—"

"Claire. Jesus, Kenzie, the psychic didn't tell me to stop talking. So how far along are you?"

She was surprised to see Claire talking so freely about the baby she was about to give up, but anything that made her cousin happy was not about to be questioned. Seeking to avoid the baby talk, Mackenzie took this as her signal to leave. Waving her hands to indicate to Claire the direction she was going, she slipped off to the coffee shop they'd passed a short while ago.

O O O

Taking a peak out the bus window, Jonathan Pierre Arene-Carlton said one last goodbye to Australia. Not that this would be his last time visiting, but hopefully it would be the last time he'd be there alone. _God, I wish Charlie hadn't had to work._ Shaking his head, he adjusted his glasses and returned to the magazine he was reading. Boredom was starting to set in, and though he was normally a very patient man, he was ready to get to LA to visit Ben, and then home to his boyfriend.

A small plop in the aisle next to him, and a subsequent wail, pulled him away from the article. In the aisle between the seats, a red haired girl, no more than three or four, was holding her elbow.

"Hey there sweetie, what's the matter?" he asked gently as he picked her up and sat her on the seat next to him.

"I was ru-running!" the girl shouted loudly, before being reduced to even more tears. Rubbing her back, he tried to soothe her as he looked for her parents.

"Elizabeth! What are you doing?" It was obvious the woman was her mother- the little girl was like a clone of her. Her expression was panicked and clearly concerned.

"She's alright. Just bumped her elbow," JP informed the woman

"Thanks so much for your help," she replied brusquely, suspiciously watching the people around her as she carried the little girl away. She was scolding Elizabeth, and he wondered if he had done something wrong. He was normally good with kids.

_Some days, you just can't win, JP,_ he thought, skimming an article about his friend Ben's hit TV show _Autumn_. It had been getting rave reviews, and there was even Emmy talk for a few of the stars.

"Nandi, I just need some time away. Please, try to understand." The woman behind him had been talking quietly on her cell phone for much of the bus trip, but now it seemed the conversation was starting to get heated. "You know I love you, but after what I saw this weekend… it's gonna take some time. And I need you to understand that. I need to know that I can trust you again."

There was a pause. "No, no you stay here and finish up with Widmore Construction. I know how important this deal is for your parents. I'm gonna call your mom, and have her pick me up at the airport. I'll take the kids home. Yes, I will call you when I get in. Bye."

JP thought he heard the woman crying, and wanted to turn around to comfort her, but his experiences with the little girl and her mother had left him doubting himself a bit. Settling back down in his seat, he hoped that the woman behind him would be alright.

O O O

"Dad? Daddy where'd you go?" Mia Prince called pathetically as she stood outside her taxi. The man inside was frowning, unhappy with the situation the girl was causing. Behind him, another three or four taxis were honking, trying to get around the vehicle but unable to. She felt her eyes watering and squeezed them harder. _Come on tears, let's go._

"You alright?" the boy asked, casually approaching her. He was cute; there was no denying that, but his fashion sense left quite a bit to be desired. _Floral shirt? Where does he think he is, Hawaii?_

"N—no! My dad walked away, and he forgot to pay the taxi driver, and my wallet is in my checked luggage, and daddy took the checked luggage, and now I don't know how I'm gonna pay for my damned taxi. This day could not get any worse!" In one breath, all the words came tumbling out.

The boy looked at her strangely, studying her. _He knows. Oh crap, he knows I'm playing him. _She felt her eyes drifting over to her dad, who was standing behind the glass doors of the terminal entrance. Silently, she begged him to come help her so the boy wouldn't call her out on trying to one-up him. A single steel-eyed stare in return and her focus returned to the boy and the taxi.

"I can cover the charge for you, it's not a problem" the boy said. "How much?"

"Twenty-six dollars and some change." He pulled his wallet out of the back pocket of his shorts, and Mia caught a glimpse of his New York driver's license. His name was Shawn.

Shawn paid the driver, and the car sped off to attempt and make up the wages lost while waiting for Mia's money. "Thank you so much! You know what, give me your address. I'll send you the money I owe when I get home."

He smiled. "Hey, it's no problem. Consider it a favor."

Mia felt her face brighten even more, carrying the farce as far as she could. "Seriously, thank you. You're my hero!" She gave him a tight hug, wiping the last of her tears from her face. "Thank you so, so much!"

As she skipped away, the boy waved, his shoulders squared in pride at being the hero. _Way too easy,_ Mia thought.

"What the hell were you thinking? You could have blown the whole thing, staring at me like that Mia! Have I taught you nothing?" her dad scolded as she walked through the automatic doors.

"Back off Tony," she snapped in reply. "I just saved you twenty-six bucks."

O O O

The panicked look in the Korean woman's eyes as she cleaned up the coffee saddened Alice Evans. She couldn't help but eavesdrop in on the couple's conversation, as she'd learned a substantial amount of the language during a lengthy dig in Seoul four years ago. Their discussion seemed normal enough, but she could tell that the woman wasn't happy.

"Look at that, babe, it's like Memoirs of a Geisha in real life," Alice heard the American woman at the table next to her say to the man with her. They were clearly wealthy, and in her personal opinion, clearly dumb. _There seriously needs to be a law that keeps people like that from leaving their country. _

Pushing her seat out, Alice walked over to the other table. "Wow. Do you know how bloody impressive the stupidity you just displayed was? Memoirs of a Geisha is Japan. They're Korean, you sods. Now I suggest you and your bigotry go find a new place to sit, because any person with half a brain would be completely disgusted by your behavior."

As the woman and her husband huffed away, Alice sat down, satisfied in having done a little bit of good in educating the world in cultural nuances. The Korean woman now sat alone, with a small smirk on her face. _She understood me. She totally knows English._

"You are absolutely phenomenal," a voice behind her stated. Alice turned to see a tall, muscular brown-haired woman. "That woman was a legit bitch. I seriously hate people some days."

The woman sat down next to her. "I know how you feel. Sometimes it feels like I notice it more than others. I'm an archaeologist, I specialize ancient cultures, but I love studying current ones. I guess there's a bit of an anthropologist in me as well. I'm Alice."

"I'm Nikole. I'm a volleyball player with half a brain."

The music coming from the speakers on the roof of the airport stopped playing. "Attention all passengers of Oceanic Airlines flight 815. Boarding will begin shortly."

"And that's my flight!" Nikole said, heaving a duffle bag over her shoulder.

"Me too!" Alice replied enthusiastically, picking up her bag and following the younger woman. "So do you play beach volleyball or indoor?"

O O O

"A round of drinks for everyone, on me!" Gavin Tesla announced with a grin, slamming his cell phone shut and shoving it into the pocket of his black hoodie.

"What's the big deal?" his old college roommate, Nathan Rothkranz asked.

"Okay, so you know that heinous old fried chicken place by the beach? Across from the bar? They accepted my offer! Say goodbye to Mr. Cluck's Chicken Shack, and hello to my first five star, completely organic health food restaurant!" He was nearly dancing on the bar stool in joy.

"Dude, you're such a hippie! I can't still figure out how an idiot such as you manages to keep two businesses afloat when one too many surfboards to the head has clearly destroyed all your brain cells."

The bartender prepared five drinks, one for each of the patrons currently enjoying some alcohol before their flights. Gavin watched as a tequila and tonic was delivered to a Hispanic woman, and a drink he couldn't identify to the slightly older man sitting next to her. The woman smiled, and raised her glass to him before returning to her conversation.

"Hey, congratulations…" The last man in the bar approached the duo, whisky in hand. He had dark brown hair, curly and falling around his ears.

"Gavin, I'm Gavin Tesla. And you are?"

"Russ Knowles." The two shook hands, and Nathan introduced himself.

The three chatted easily, not even noticing as the other two patrons left the bar. Every few minutes, they glanced up to the baseball game shown on the TV above them. It was the San Francisco Giants versus the Houston Astros. Discovering that they were all taking the same flight into LA, they compared seats and found that Russ was sitting only two rows in front of them.

"Seriously, if you ever find yourself in Oahu, you just come down to my bar. They've been filming this TV show there lately, about a plane crash and these people that survive on an island. And the hottest women have been running around in bikinis for like eight or nine hours a day. Like, supermodel-level hotness, my friends."

Russ laughed. "You wouldn't happen to have a hotel too? That would make life so much easier…"

"Dude, you could stay at my house. Hell, we'll host a party for them at the bar. You know, invite paparazzi and stuff. Make a killing in the banks, and get celebrity girlfriends. Or hookups."

"That'll work!" Russ agreed.

"You two are certainly living the American dream," Nathan added sarcastically. "There's a reason I live in Canada."

O O O

"Can you at least breathe?" Jay Langdon asked. Nonchalantly, he observed the people around him. An African American man was on the pay phone next to him, his son staring intently at the game boy in his hand. A balding man in a wheelchair glided past him. No one too suspicious, thankfully. "Good, good to hear. Yes everything's going smoothly on my end."

"And my son? Have you seen him yet?" The man on the other end of the phone asked gruffly.

"Yes, I've been watching your son. He was sitting at the bar a while ago, he should be boarding the plane soon. I have a seat right behind him. Don't you worry, sir."

"And the Russian girl, Ekaterina. Have you found her yet? I sent you a photo via text message on your cell phone." There was a tinge of worry in his boss's voice.

"She's got a seat in the tail of the plane. Once I see Jack off safely in LA, I'll be on her trail. She can't run on a plane, boss."

"That's right. She can't. They're putting me on the plane now. We'll rendezvous in LA. I will contact you with the time and place. Start getting ready to board."

"Talk to you soon, sir." Jay replied. _Good lord, I know I can multitask, but how many people does he expect me to watch at one time. Jesus. _

As he walked toward the boarding gate, he saw a woman staring at him. Dark eyes and hair, with red lipstick, he knew it had to be Ekaterina. Averting his eyes, he pretended that he had not noticed her. He was just like any other passenger on board the plane today.

O O O

"Justin, would you stop staring at that girl!" Sophie Stevens scolded her cousin, who was (almost pathetically) trying to catch the attention of the gorgeous brunette five or six people behind them on the line to board their flight. "Look, she's with her boyfriend, just leave her… Wait a minute! Hold my spot!"

She heard her cousin laugh as she ran toward the other woman. Justin was just like a brother to her. Overprotective, in a way, but always had her best interest at heart. A girl needed that when facing the harsh and judgmental crowds that inhabited the Hollywood clubs and casting calls.

"Nikki! Nikki Fernandez!" Sophie called out.

"Oh my God, Sophie! How are you? I haven't seen you since that screen test for _Autumn. _They're saying you might be up for an Emmy, how exciting!"

Sophie laughed. "Oh please. That's totally tabloid gossip. I heard your guest starring on the show next season. I'm so excited! Who's this hunk?"

"This is my boyfriend, Paolo. He's a culinary student."

He looked much older than a student, but Sophie wasn't about to criticize Nikki. She'd been so incredibly gracious when Sophie beat her out for the role on TV. "It was so good to see you. We'll have to meet up in LA at some point, alright? I left my cousin in line!"

"Definitely! It was good to see you sweetie!" The girls embraced, before Sophie returned to her cousin.

"Are you certain that's her boyfriend?" Justin asked.

"One hundred percent certain," Sophie replied.

"Damn."

O O O

"Dad, I'm bored!" Christopher stated, rocking back and forth in his seat. _Of course. Of course my son chooses the only wobbly seat on the entire plane._

Approximately two and three-quarters minutes passed. "Dad I'm still bored," he repeated. Grabbing the emergency instruction from the seat pouch, Brad Donegan handed them to his son, his hands still shaking from the tremors. He knew he had to be a better dad, but that was going to take some time and learning. Once he reached LA, they'd figure it out together.

For all of about thirty seconds, Chris was distracted by the images in the book and sat still. "Dad, what's a defribulator?" the boy asked. The seat was rocking again.

"Hey! Hey there! Edward Scissor Hands!" The southern drawl that was trying to get his attention was thick. Brad presumed the nickname had been dubbed upon him by the snarky ass because of his long black hair, and the chipped black paint on his fingernails. "You wanna control your kid?"

Turning around in his seat, Brad glared at the man. "When you start traveling with kids, _then _you can talk to me. Got it? Being a parent isn't a walk in the park. Especially in small spaces!"

There was a pained look in the man's eyes briefly and he seemed to get the message, though not before adding, "Well he better not spill my beer when that nice little Australian stewardess comes by."

Brad turned around. Settling back into his seat, he ran a hand through his hair. "Redneck douche bag," he muttered under his breath.

"Dad, what's a douche bag?" Chris asked loudly.

_Holy Jesus, this is going to be a long flight._

O O O

_No, I am not letting her leave without a fight. I have to make this right. _Nandi Mqwebu could hear the soft stomp of her penny loafers on the floor of the airport as she jogged through the crowds, shoving everyone in her path aside. She knew it was rude, knew it was wrong and awful, but she had screwed up, and the love of her life was about to board a plane to go home without her.

The ticket counter for Oceanic was so close. She sprinted the last fifteen feet, crashing into the desk and instantly attracting the clerk's attention. "You must give me a ticket. I absolutely have to get on this plane. Please, tell me you have a ticket."

The woman started typing into her computer. Behind her, Nandi saw an obese man with a mop of curly hair boarding the plane, hugging the ticket collector in delight that he'd made the flight. Her foot was tapping involuntarily.

"I have one ticket left. It's near the back of the plane. Is that—"

"It's fine. I can pay cash." She dumped the contents of her wallet out on the counter. "Keep the change."

Leaving her suitcase with the clerk, completely uncaring whether or not it actually made the flight, Nandi scampered down the terminal, collapsing into her seat. With the knowledge that Lalah was somewhere on the flight, she decided to catch her breath before looking for her wife.

"You alright?" the woman sitting next to her asked. She was holding a digital camera, flipping through pictures of a place that Nandi didn't recognize.

"Yeah, just running a little late today. Where is that?"

"Oh! That's Angor Wat in Cambodia. I've been traveling around the world the past eight months. My brother Matty told me I'm 'finding myself.' I guess I am in a way."

Nandi nodded. "Well, you take beautiful photos. I took pictures of Australia for my kids, but most of them are blurry, and the rest have my fingers in the shots. You should try publishing them."

"Thanks!" The girl returned to her camera, shuffling through the photos.

O O O

Natalie saw him. She really hadn't been expecting that- at this point, all she really wanted to do was get home and apologize to her parents. He was sitting next to an African American woman, chatting as they flew comfortably at twelve thousand feet. Though she knew he couldn't really disappear, considering how they were on a plane, she kept her eye on him.

"Can I get you anything sweetie?" the Australian flight attendant asked her.

"A coke would be fine, thanks," Natalie replied.

"And some hair gel," she heard someone else comment across the aisle.

"Shan, she's just a kid! Back off!" Out of the corner of her eye, Natalie saw the guy who had defended her, and the blonde modelesque girl who'd made the comment. Gingerly, she fingered her own frizzy brown hair.

"Oh Boone, stop being such a woman," the girl hissed. "I'm just pointing out a fact."

The flight attendant turned back from her cart and handed Natalie her drink. She took a sip, and watched as the blonde asked for a martini dry.

"Hey, don't listen to her kiddo," the man sitting next to her said softly. He'd been quiet most of the trip, gazing out the window. "My older sister, Anna, when we were kids had hair worse than yours. When it got really humid, it was like an afro. Her hair was huge."

"And now?" Natalie asked.

He hesitated a moment before answering. "It's been a few years since I've seen her, but last time, it was pretty straight. A little curly once in a while, but no more frizz. I promise, eventually it'll all fix itself. Cross my heart."

Natalie couldn't help but smile. "Thanks…"

"Ryan."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Natalie Shephard."

Beneath her, she felt the plane bouncing a little. She looked nervously over at Ryan. "Don't worry. Just turbulence. It'll stop in a little while, and it'll be smooth sailing from there."

O O O

"Can't catch me Kit!" Peyten Alexander cried out loudly as she zoomed down one of the hills near her home.

"Well duh, Pey, you're on a friggen bike!" he called after her, running as fast as he could.

Peyten always started the races, and every time she and her shiny red bike won. Though they were both a bit on the competitive side, it was never really about winning. It was the only thing to do to pass time while the adults were attending their book club. Some of the fun was gone though. Now that Karl was missing, Alex was depressed all the time, and Eric had been reunited with his sister, the two were feeling left behind.

At least Peyten was relaxed, for once. Kit had been really worried she wouldn't recover after things had come to a head the week before. It seemed like things were starting to settle. There was still hope.

"Peyten, slow down!" Kit shouted, stopping to catch his breath. They'd been running and biking for twenty minutes now, and were a good distance from the houses. Not far enough to get into any trouble from Ben, but enough to feel free again.

As he stood, he felt the ground start to shake. "Pey! Stop! We're getting an earthquake!"

An ear shattering noise filled the air, and Kit watched as Peyten slammed on the breaks of her shiny red bike, flying forward over the handlebars. He grabbed his ears, cringing at the noise. It was awful.

Then silence filled the air, and he ran down to her side. "Jesus Christ, are you alright?"

She was flat on her back, staring up at the sky. "There's a pretty good chance my entire body may be broken. If so, please just leave me--- Holy shit!" She lifted her hand pointing toward the sky.

Kit turned around, and felt his jaw drop. Smoke was filling the air, thousands and millions of papers and slivers of metal and fabric were falling into the ocean. Luggage was opening in midair, scattering clothing and medication. There were large shapeless masses- they had to be bodies.

Nose-diving towards the island in two separate pieces was a plane. A massive sized passenger plane.

"You don't suppose there's any chance that Ben didn't notice that?" Peyten asked Kit as he helped her sit up.

"Not a chance in hell."

* * *

**Hey everyone, thanks for all your reviews so far! Flashbacks begin next chapter! I'm still looking for freighties, expendable characters, and others who are supportive of Ben. Feel free to submit them if you like- doesn't matter how many characters you've submitted already! All the best!**


	4. Drop The Pilot

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lost. Original characters belong to their respective creators, whom I love and adore for allowing me to throw them onto Craphole Island and shake up their lives a bit. Jurassic Park was written by the phenomenal Michael Crichton. "Land of the Lost" was created by Sid and Marty Krofft. Captain American was created by Simon and Kirby. Chapter title is a song by Joan Armatrading. **

* * *

**Chapter One**

"_I wouldn't mind dying in a plane crash. It'd be a good way to go… I want to feel what it's like. I want to taste it, hear it, smell it. Death is only going to happen to you once; I don't want to miss it."_

_Jim Morrison_

_

* * *

  
_

Nikole Mosley could feel the water, but she had no urge to move. It felt good, gently lapping at her legs, her feet, pulling her out to where she could float. She knew she should lift her head up and breathe, but it was so warm and lovely.

Like the first day she spent at the volleyball tournament in Melbourne, when she had lounged on the beach with the rest of the squad, she felt the tides dragging her into the abyss. Farther, farther, covering her face, filling her nose… Yet somehow, she couldn't convince herself to stand up and walk away.

"There's a girl in the water!" a voice shouted at a distance.

"I've got her!" she heard a man reply. She felt two hands grab her roughly, and pull her from the water. Beneath her back there was sand, and she felt his fingers against her neck. "She's got a pulse!" Something hard was hitting her chest. Pounding, over and over.

Nikole's eyes fluttered open, and she coughed hard, spitting up water and phlegm, and God know what else. Above her, she saw the sky, and before her was an expansive ocean. The man helped her to sit up, and she leaned against his leg while she regained her bearings.

"Where's the plane? We were on a plane!" Looking up, she saw he was young guy with brown hair and pale blue eyes. There was a cut on his cheek, and blood dripping down onto his blue button-down shirt.

"We crashed," he replied simply. "On an island."

It was then that Nikole finally gave credence to the screams and the sound of metal, and the smell of gas filling the air. Turning around, she saw the body of the plane ripped apart and the contents spread across the beach. A jungle lay in the distance, a column of smoke rising somewhere within. Dozens of people were running, screaming, searching for those that had been with them. Others were lying still on the ground, dead.

"Holy shit," she muttered, voice hoarse from swallowing the ocean water. "I need to sit down."

"You are sitting down." The guy attempted a half-hearted smile, failing miserably. There was no way to lighten the situation, and she realized that. "I'm going to go see if I can help anyone else. Stay here and rest for a bit, until you feel like you're ready to move. I'll find you later, alright?"

She nodded. "Wait, what's your name?"

"Boone!" he shouted over his shoulder, running toward an African American woman lying on the ground, motionless. He started performing CPR, but was soon interrupted by the appearance of a second man dressed in a dark suit.

"What are you doing?" He pushed Boone aside and took over CPR, pounding the woman's chest as Nikole imagined Boone had pounded her's moments before.

O O O

"_Kara, what are you doing? Niki, focus!" Pearl Thompson, coach of the Seattle Shakedown volleyball team shouted. It was the semi-final round of an international tournament, an invitational for only the best teams in the world. "Francesca, side out! Ladies, come on, this is game point!"_

_Number sixteen on the Melbourne Menace tossed the volleyball high in the air and slammed it over the net. The ball went high. Elisa, the libaro, set the ball into the air._

_"Mine!" Nikole shouted, slamming the ball down, her long arms reaching over the net. The volleyball hit the gym floor hard, bouncing back up before her opponents had a chance to even attempt hitting it._

_"And that was game point!" the announcer spoke into the loudspeaker. "Number four, Nikole Mosley wins it for the Seattle Shakedown. That means they'll be taking on the Toronto Tornadoes this Sunday at six pm. That's two days away folks, so get your tickets now!"_

_The deep voiced man continued announcing details of the final tournament game. With a grin on her face, Nikole took her place in line to shake hands with the other team. She mumbled "Good game," to each of the opposing players, though she knew they had totally blown the other team out of the water._

_She watched as Francesca and Elisa ran over to their families, who had traveled to Australia with the team. Nikole was jealous. Her only family, her older sister Reagan, was back home. Trying to start up her own business, she didn't have the money to travel with the team. Niki missed her sister- they were incredibly close, more like best friends, and all the time on the road was starting to take a toll on both of them._

_"Mosley!" _

_"Yeah Coach?" she asked._

_"They want to interview for ESPN and a couple of newspapers. Apparently we're quite the story back home, and they want to hear from our star player." _

O O O

"Listen, you need to stop freaking out!" Mia Prince shouted at the pregnant girl she'd found on the beach. "Just lie down and take deep breaths."

"You're too young to be a sodding doctor!" the blonde shouted back, not being rude, but just plain terrified. "Mackenzie! Mackenzie where are you?"

"My mom was a midwife. Sometimes she would bring me along to birthing. I'm telling you, I know what's going on. Would you please stop screaming?" She scanned the beach, searching for someone that looked like they knew anything about the medical profession. There were bodies everywhere, mutilated beyond recognition, and she willed herself not to vomit. A group of survivors were pulling a half-conscious man out from under a larger piece of wreckage.

"I need a doctor!" Mia screamed. "Unless you wanna watch her have a baby right here!"

"I can't have a baby right here!" the girl replied frantically. "I'm only eight months along."

_Shit, and now I made her panic. If mom could see me now…_

A man was suddenly at her side, wiping perspiration and blood from a cut off his cheek with a sleeve. "What's wrong?"

"She's having contractions. It's her third trimester, but she's not ready to have the baby yet," Mia informed the man.

He raised his eyebrow at her, but didn't ask any questions. Instead, he talked to the pregnant girl who was now clutching her stomach in pain as another contraction swept over her body.

"Claire! Oh my God, Claire!" A brown haired woman nearly tripped as she ran through the sand to the pregnant girl's side.

"Kenzie! I think the baby's coming!" The blonde yelled at her.

"No, it's not sweets. There's a doctor here, he's gonna help you!" Mackenzie turned to the doctor. "Right?"

"Right. You just need to calm down and sit still. We're going to move you away from these engines. Hey you! Come here"

Mia saw an incredibly fat man come running over. "What's up?"

"I need you to help this woman away from the engine fumes. All of you stay with her, and if the contractions come any closer, find me. My name is Jack."

"Dude, you have to be kidding me," the man said slowly, looking queasy.

"Oh stop whining and help me move her," Mia shouted at him. Looking at the doctor she informed him, "We'll be fine."

"HEY! Get away from there! You need to move away!" a new voice shouted.

Looking up, Mia watched in horror as a man was sucked into the still-moving propeller. "Duck!" the doctor shouted, knocking her over as he dived to cover the pregnant woman and her companion. Mia threw herself on the ground just moments before the engine exploded.

_At least I'm alive,_ she thought. _Now the challenge is to stay this way. And find Tony. The idiot just had to sit in the tail section. _

O O O

"Lizzie! Lizzie, stay with mommy," Katherine Williams said to her daughter, holding her hand tightly as they moved through the rubble. She was still in awe that they'd both walked away from the crash unscathed, though she would not easily forget her daughter's terrified screams as they fell through the sky. "Mommy needs to help everyone, okay?"

"I can take her!" a girl with frizzy brown hair offered. She was young, maybe twelve or thirteen, with a few large bruises appearing on her arms and legs. "Let me watch her. Not much else I can do to help right now."

Katherine hesitated. _Calm down, you know for a fact he wasn't on the plane. This is a deserted island. We're safe here._

With a sigh, she picked Elizabeth up and passed her to the teenager. Not willing to let the little girl out of her sight, she spotted a place where she'd be able to keep an eye on her daughter while she worked. "See that girl by the water? Both of you go sit by her. You'll be a safe distance from the plane if there are any secondary explosions. Got that?"

The teenager nodded. "Hey there! I'm Natalie! Why don't we go play down by the water for a little while?"

Trying to stop thinking about Elizabeth and focus on the situation, Katherine ran closer to the plane. "Have you seen my boy? He's about ten, he's called Walt," a man asked her as she climbed over a large piece of metal.

"No I haven't, but I'll keep an eye out for him. I'm sure he's fine." Silently, she hoped she was right.

"You a doctor?"

"A pediatrician, but I did a year in an ER when I was in med school," she replied.

"There's a man still in his seat in the fuselage, looks like he was just starting to come around, but I didn't want to move him. He's got a big gash on his head." She nodded, and pulled herself up into the plane.

"Walt!" she heard the man screaming behind her. "Waaaaaalt!"

Dead bodies were still strapped in their seat, but near the front of the remaining seats a man was stirring. "Stay still! I'm coming over to you!"

"What are you, a doctor or somethin'?"

"Something like that," she replied with half a smile, pushing a larger piece of carry-on luggage aside. "Can you move your hands and feet? Anything feel wrong?"

He turned to look at her, shaggy blonde hair falling into his eyes. "Besides bein' in a plane crash? Ain't nothin' wrong with me Ginger Snap."

Katherine frowned. There were more wounded outside, people that would actually be grateful to have someone helping them. "Well then. Have fun getting out of here. Hopefully that'll be before the other engine explodes and kills you."

Turning around, she started climbing back out over the seats. _Do no harm, Kat. The Hippocratic Oath says first do no harm, even when the patient is a jackass._

"Wait a second, wait a second. Come back here, Gingy. I can't get the seatbelt to unbuckle."

"Hold on."

Katherine walked back to where the midsection of the plane opened to the beach. After sneaking a glance at her daughter, who sat safely with Natalie and the other woman, she began looking for someone to help her. A strong-looking blonde man in his thirties stood just outside, desperately trying to get some sort of signal on his cell phone. "Hey! Can you get me something sharp? There's a man in here that needs to be cut out."

"No problem." He dropped the cell phone into his pocket and picked up a piece of sharp metallic debris from the beach. "This should work. Where is he?"

He followed her up into the plane, where she led him to the Southern man in the seat. "Hey, could you look in the seats in front of me and see if the people are dead? There was a kid there and…"

After his display of wonderful manners just moments ago, she was surprised to hear the man showing the least bit of concern over the strangers that had sat in front of him. "There's no one there," Katherine replied. "They could still be alive."

"You're all set, man. Let's get the hell out of here, who knows how long that engine's gonna hold up."

"See ya MacGyver. Ginger, it's been a pleasure." The blonde man with the Southern drawl quickly ran out of the plane, hopping out with ease.

"You're welcome," Jay muttered, helping Katherine over the debris.

O O O

Christopher was wailing, and Brad had no idea what was wrong or what to do. There were no visible cuts on the boy, and he hadn't broken anything as far as he could tell. Yet there he was, adding to the ruckus of the plane crash with his screams of terror.

"Did you hit your head buddy?" Brad asked, at a complete and total loss. "Show me where it hurts, and dad'll see what he can do."

This subsequently caused the boy to wail even louder. "Come on, Chris. I can't help you unless you tell me what's the matter."

"I think he's just scared," an African American woman said as she limped closer to them. "I have three of my own. When they were younger, loud noises always scared them. I would bet you anything that it's just the crash and then the explosion."

"Do you really think so?" he asked jealous of her ability to stay calm. Maybe if he could stop his heart from racing, he'd be able to make Chris stop crying. "I'm Brad Donegan, this is my son Christopher."

"I'm Lalah Wil- oh dear lord! MOVE! YOU NEED TO MOVE RIGHT NOW!"

Brad spun around to look at what Lalah saw. The wing of the plane, which had been stretched straight up in the air, was now tottering and going to fall. Beneath the wing, a group of four was sitting, including a pregnant woman.

"Take him," he said urgently, handing Chris to Lalah. She grabbed the boy, and though he was seven and starting to get heavy, she held him so that she could shield his eyes from the gruesome sight of the plane.

"You have to move! The wing is going to fall!" Brad shouted franticly. The youngest of the group, a blonde teenager with plain features just ran, without concern to the others. A brunette girl and the heavy guy attempted to help the pregnant girl up.

"I'll take her, you run," he said, taking the woman's spot in hoisting the blonde woman up. The three moved quickly, until they were a safe distance from where the wing was going to fall. He heard the metal hit the sand loudly, and then another explosion. He saw Lalah to the right of him dropping to the sand and covering Christopher. A second, smaller piece of metal flew through the air, just missing a blonde in a black hoodie.

"Everybody alright?" Brad asked loudly, running a hand through his long black hair. The nods were answer enough, and he walked back over to Lalah, prepared to continue trying to calm Chris down. When she handed the boy to him, however, he was surprised to find him fast asleep.

O O O

_Nikole had been surprised by the size of the press conference. Volleyball was one of those sports that received minimal coverage, maybe a couple of minutes on ESPN when Misty May and Kerri Walsh won their eighth straight on the beach volleyball circuit. Unfortunately for Niki, she'd chosen the slightly less popular version of the sport- the one that didn't involve sand, sweat, and bikinis. _

_The members of the press had shot questions at her for almost half an hour, and she couldn't help but be amazed by the sudden interest in her and her team._

_"Have you considered trying out for the Olympic team, Miss Mosley?" a man called Richard asked._

_"Well I just missed the summer games, now didn't I?" she replied with a laugh. This was what celebrity felt like, in a way. She could get used to this. "Get back to me in four years, and we'll see if I'm up for Beijing. Anybody else?"_

_A dark haired woman stood up. "Is it true that your parents died in a car crash when you were younger?"_

_The question hit her like a punch in the gut. It had taken years for her to overcome the trauma of watching her parents die in the mangled front seat of the car. The scene from that night on the freeway played out in her head: firefighters with the Jaws of Life pulling her and Reagan out of the car, the screams as they barreled over the guard rail, her tears on the stretcher when she saw the wreckage burst into flames._

_Taking a deep breath, Nikole answered, "Yes, my sister and I survived the crash, but my parents were killed. The breaks went out in the car while we were driving home from my grandparents. Reagan gave up everything to raise me. She made me who I am today, and I hope I've lived up to her expectations."_

_"Is it true your father crashed the car to take revenge on your mother for an affair?" a reporter asked. _

_"I'm sorry, this press conference is over," Pearl announced petulantly, leading a very shocked Nikole away. Never before had she been so grateful to her coach._

O O O

"You know you never told me your name before," Boone commented as Nikole walked up from the ocean, where she'd left Natalie and the toddler with Katherine. She was finally feeling steady enough to risk walking again, and having secured a thorough examination from the pediatrician, decided to join a collection of plane survivors farther up on the beach.

"It's Nikole," she replied, taking a seat next to him.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked with genuine concern, drawing a snort from the tall blonde girl lounging next to him on the beach, looking like she was on spring break.

"Yeah, there's a doctor down there helping with some of the injured. She took a quick look at me."

Besides Boone, and the blonde, several others were standing around, staring at the mess on the beach and trying to figure out what to do next. Not that Nikole had any suggestions; she was just as lost as the rest of them.

"Hey!" A brunette called, running up the beach towards them. "A few of us are going to try and build some sort of shelter from the wreckage. There's a bunch of kids in the group, and my cousin's pregnant."

"Why would you build a shelter? The boat'll be here in a few hours!" the blonde replied with annoyance, pulling a bottle of purple nail polish out of a Prada bag.

"And what if they're not Shan?" Boone asked. "I can give you a hand."

"'Ey, me too!" a British man chimed in, looking up from his fingers where he was writing something with a black sharpie.

"Maybe we should build a signal fire as well?" A quiet, brown haired man about Nikole's age added hesitantly. "It'll be dark soon. The fire will help the boat to find us."

"That is a good idea. Maybe two groups of two to look in the jungle? There's safety in numbers." This comment was added by a Middle Eastern man. "But before we split up, let's get each other's names. We will probably be here a while—"

"Not likely!" nail polish girl added in a sing-song voice. Nikole was quickly beginning to dislike her.

"And it'll help us all find each other later. I am Sayid."

"Boone, and that's my sister Shannon."

"Charlie Pace," the British man added.

"Holy crap, like Liam Pace's brother? The band Driveshaft?" Nikole blurted out without thinking, star-struck. "I totally had a poster of him in my room 'til I was like, fifteen."

"Yeah, that's me," Charlie said, looking disheartened.

"I'm Ryan," the quiet guy added.

"Mackenzie Littleton. The pregnant girl is my cousin Claire. I'm gonna head back down to her now so we can get started on the shelter."

Boone and Charlie followed her down to the beach, leaving the rest to gather wood for the fire. When it became evident that Shannon was not planning to move from her spot on the beach, Sayid volunteered to look on his own.

"C'mon Ryan. Let's go build a signal fire," Nikole said. Silently he followed her to the edge of the jungle.

"So what were you doing in Australia?" she asked. If they were going to be stuck on the island a few hours until the rescue boats came, she might as well make some friends. "Vacation?"

"School," he replied, grabbing a large stick of the ground.

"So are you going home to visit or something? You're obviously American."

"Wedding," he mumbled.

Nikole frowned as she started grabbing dried out branches from the ground and piling them under her arm. "You're not very talkative, are you Ryan."

He shrugged. "After what we just lived through and saw on that beach? There's not much left to be said."

O O O

_"I couldn't believe she said that! What the hell was that woman thinking, bringing up mom and dad like that? Ever heard of respect for the dead?" Reagan ranted into the phone line. "That was just… just… inappropriate!"_

_"I know!" Nikole replied, flopping back onto the lumpy hotel bed, still wearing the towel from her shower. "I mean, sure it's no secret about them being dead, but to just announce it to the world like that… Anyway, I called to check up on you, Ray. How are you? And how's the wedding planning business treating you?"_

_"Ugh, don't even get me started! They told me starting your business is tough, but it's absolutely ruthless. It's almost a year now, and I'm just getting enough clients to get by. Carlyle Weddings Inc is snapping up brides all over the country. The owner, Sabrina, is a real bitch. She offered to buy out my company! I want to hire an assistant, but I don't think the money is here right now. But don't worry about it, Niki. Focus on your game on Sunday, got that? Make me proud. I've gotta go before I skyrocket my phone bill. Love you."_

_"Love you, Ray." _

_Hanging up the phone, Nikole found herself pensive. She changed into jeans and her mom's vintage Geronimo Jackson shirt, and left her room, heading out into the Melbourne night._

O O O

"Hey, you want something to eat?" the heavy man asked, approaching Lalah. In his hand he carried a tray of unidentifiable airplane food.

She smiled. "Did the kids all eat yet?"

"I think so. There's like two teenage girls, and three younger kids, and the pregnant chick, right? They all got food."

Lalah accepted the food from him gratefully. Her stomach had been churning for hours, more because of nerves rather than hunger. She was worried for her own kids, worried for Nandi back in Australia. She had to get home, let them know she was safe. "You're Hurley right? I'm Lalah."

A shrill scream rose from a makeshift tent close to the jungle. "What was that?"

"There's a guy up there with a huge piece of metal sticking out of him. The doc, Jack, is trying to save him, but I don't know if that's gonna work."

"It's a big risk," a woman that had introduced herself to Lalah before as Katherine said. "If they remove the metal, he'll bleed out, if they leave it in, it won't help at all. Then there's the chance of infection and sepsis. The odds aren't good, poor man. Elizabeth, sweetie, move away from the fire."

As darkness quickly swept over the jungle, the survivors gathered around the signal fire that had been built. Lalah hadn't really taken the opportunity to look at how many people were actually around her. There were forty, maybe even closer to fifty survivors of the plane crash, and for the most part they were all unscathed.

She'd hurt her leg trying to climb out of the midsection of the plane earlier in the day, and had walked with a limp for a few hours. But now she felt fine- exactly how she'd felt when she boarded the plane earlier that day. It was odd, but she was thankful nonetheless for small miracles.

A second, loud, new sound filled the air. Mechanical and tinny, it hurt her ears. She clamped her ears, and saw Hurley do the same.

"What the hell is that?" Katherine asked, immediately picking up her daughter.

A crash resonated through the jungle, then a second, and in the moon light, she watched as two trees in the jungle fell.

"Jurassic Park wasn't real, right?" she heard the teenager named Natalie ask nervously.

"No, but I'm starting to question that," Hurley replied.

"Have I ever mentioned my greatest fear is being eaten by a velociraptor?" a British man said.

"Maybe it's that little boy's dog?" Lalah suggest hopefully, knowing that it wasn't true.

Everyone went silent, listening to the frightening noise. "That thing has to be huge," Katherine said.

Somewhere around the fire the British man piped up again. "Terrific. Just terrific."

Lalah completely and totally agreed.

O O O

"Maybe it was another part of the plane," Jay said. He seemed like a particularly levelheaded individual, which Mackenzie appreciated. If she heard one more comparison of the events in the woods to Jurassic Park or Land of the Lost she was going to scream, mostly because she was scarred shitless. "It's quite possible that the front section of the plane landed out there yesterday, and it exploded."

"I still think it's monkeys," Charlie muttered, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Rose said it reminded her of back home in the Bronx. Could explain the metallic sound. I lived in Manhattan for a while, and there's always some sort of construction work going on," Boone added.

Farther down the beach, Mackenzie heard the giggles of the kids that had spent the night in the shelter with her and Claire. Natalie was chasing Christopher and Elizabeth, making stupid faces, while Katherine looked on carefully. She was glad they hadn't been too traumatized in the plane crash- she sure as hell was.

Nikole was watching them too. "Hey guys, should we do something about the bodies out there? The kids are playing awfully close to the plane; they shouldn't have to see that."

"Um, hello? The boat will deal with that when it gets here!" Shannon half-shouted. "Why is everyone so damned pessimistic about getting rescued?"

"Hey Mackenzie, you said you'd started medical school, right?" Jack, the doctor, called as he crossed the beach, a brunette with lightly curled hair following. She hadn't met her yet.

"I didn't get all that far, but I know the basics," she replied.

"Could you keep an eye on the shrapnel guy? Don't let him take the metal out. If he stirs, go and get Katherine off the beach."

"Sure, no problem!"

"Where are you going?" Jay asked curiously, his eyes shifting toward the jungle.

"Kate thinks she saw where the front section of the plane landed. We're going to see if we can find the transceiver. If it's still in one piece, we can use it to signal the rescue boat and help them find us."

"You know, when Boone pulled me out of the water yesterday, I saw smoke rising in the jungle. Is that what you saw Kate?" The brunette woman nodded in response. Nikole continued, "Let me come with you. Together, we should be able to find it pretty easily."

Boone's eyes lit up. "Need a fourth? I wouldn't mind getting off this beach!"

Shannon laughed. "You playing hero again? Nice, Captain America."

Mackenzie watched as Boone glared at Shannon. _Didn't they say they were siblings? Strangest sibling relationship I've ever seen. Not that I can really talk…_

"Stay here with me, Boone." Jay said. "We'll figure out something to do with the bodies for now. Maybe start sorting through the wreckage for supplies."

Jack nodded. "That's good. You ready to go?"

Nikki nodded, following Jack and Kate towards the jungle. A moment later, Boone and Jay wandered away, beginning the short walk to the fuselage.

"Hey Mackenzie, would it be alright if I hung around the medical tent with you. Y'know, in case any of the patients give you a problem." She saw Charlie looking warily at Shannon, as if he dreaded being left alone with the girl. She could totally understand the feeling.

"I'd appreciate that. Thanks!" Charlie followed behind her as they walked up to Jack's first aid shelter, singing a song that sounded vaguely familiar.

O O O

"I don't think I've met you yet," Nikole said to the brunette that walked with her and the doctor about fifteen minutes into their hike.

The jungle they walked through reminded her vaguely of pictures of the Brazilian rainforests that she'd traveled through in grade school when she played the Amazon Trail. It now seemed like eons ago that the largest problem in her life was finding that damned, elusive scarlet macaw. Jack was doing a really good job blazing a relatively clear path for them, which she appreciated. While she had hiked before, this terrain was completely different than anything she'd ever tackled.

"I'm Kate. Jack said you're name was Nikole, right?" She nodded in response, grabbing a root to help her up a steep, moss covered slope. The ground was damp- it had rained recently. "How far do you think we are from the cockpit?" Jack asked as they entered a cluster of trees.

A loud rumble of thunder rolled overhead, and it suddenly started raining. Nikole pulled her hair back into a ponytail before it started sticking to her neck. Her clothing was quickly drenched as the rain pounded down, and puddles formed almost instantaneously. She was glad she'd worn sneakers on the plane, instead of flip flops. "This is like a friggen made for TV disaster movie. Like with global warming and stuff. Next comes the earthquakes and tornadoes," she muttered.

"This is definitely not normal," Kate added. "But the cockpit should be ahead."

She was right. They walked only a few more feet before it came into Niki's line of vision. Standing up at almost a ninety degree angle, was the entire front section of the plane. In the distance, she heard a tree crash, and a mechanical clicking.

"Please tell me you didn't hear that," Kate asked her as they moved toward the opening into the cockpit.

"I think I need a drink. Preferably a strong one," Nikole replied.

O O O

_"Just a whisky on the rocks," Nikole asked the bartender. The lights were dim, and the entire place had an aura of seediness, but she'd had to escape the hotel and think. Anywhere in the nice part of town, and she risked running into her teammates, or even worse, the officials from the tournament, so she took the cab to the shadiest area she could find._

_"No problem, babe." The bartender was older, missing two teeth and the bottom of his right ear. He handed her the drink and went to assist other clientele. _

_Sighing, she rested her head in her palm. Reagan had given up everything so she could pursue volleyball, and Nikole was incredibly grateful for that. She'd put her dreams on hold for over ten years now, had even dropped out of high school to make sure she had every opportunity. Now Reagan was trying to follow her own dream, and Niki wanted to help her._

_"You look upset," a woman said, taking a seat next to her. She had a heavy Russian accent and short black hair. Though her face was cheerful, there was a deep sadness in her eyes. "Are you alright?"_

_"Family stuff," Niki replied. "I miss my sister, she's back in Seattle. I've been traveling the past few months with my volleyball squad, and I guess I'm just a bit homesick."_

_"That sucks. But there's more than that, isn't there?" the woman said, sipping a mojito. "Come on. Venting to a stranger is the best way to figure out an answer. I have no preconceptions. My advice will be unbiased. What happened?"_

_Niki sighed. "Have you ever had everything you ever wanted handed to you on a plate? Like, you had someone there to make sure nothing bad happened to you? They took all the hits; they accepted the hardship so you could survive? My sister did that, and now I want to make it up to her. Not because I feel guilty, but because I really want her to succeed and she deserves this. She's trying to achieve her dream, and now she needs my help."_

_The woman frowned. "I used to be very close to my sister. In a way, she was much like yours. She protected me from my family's enemies in Russia. I always wanted to make it up to her, and I finally had the chance to. But my pride, and my errors caused me to let it slip away. She lost her daughter because of me. Katya has not spoken to me in years. I miss my sister. Do you have an opportunity now?" she asked.  
"Yeah, she needs an assistant at her wedding planning business."_

_"Help her. Do it while you still have the chance, because you don't want to live with the regrets I live with. No one should have to."_

_Nikole talked to the woman for a while, and she was fairly tipsy when she caught a taxi back to the hotel. But her mind was clear as ever._

_At two in the morning she left a note on hotel stationary at the front desk for Pearl and the team. Then she caught the first train to Sydney._

O O O

"You two alright?" Jack called down from near the top of the cockpit. He'd volunteered to climb in first, and while Kate and Nikole were still making their way through the first class, he entered the pilot's cabin.

"Just peachy!" Niki shouted back up as Kate made her way towards Jack. "I'm gonna look around down here, see if there might be anybody still alive."

She heard metal rubbing against metal, and looked up just in time to see the corpse falling toward the ground as Jack opened the door. Her heart was racing, at the sight of all the death around her. "What does the transceiver look like?" She heard Kate ask as she followed Jack into the cockpit.

Slowly, Nikole made her way through the first class, seat by seat, checking the pulse of each person. They all appeared to be dead, but she wanted to be absolutely sure. After what she saw in the jungle the night before, she was now living by the mantra 'leave no man behind.'

"The pilot's alive!" Kate called down to her. "Jack's getting some details from him now. He has the transceiver!"

"Sweet!" she exclaimed.

Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed her wrist. It was attached to a body that she had previously assumed dead. Nikole let out a soft shriek. "Ekaterina!" the man rasped. He was bleeding profusely from a cut to his neck.

"I'm not Ekaterina. Hold on, I have a doctor here, he'll help you."

She tried to shake the man off but he wouldn't let go. "Katya… Katherine… I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Hold on!" Niki encouraged. She was losing him, feeling helpless. _Why, God, didn't I pay attention in health class?_ "Jack! There's another man alive down here, he's bleeding badly!"

Outside, there was a rustle in the jungle. Branches breaking, trees cracking, leaves moving faster than any wind could. There was a splash- either in a puddle from the rain or in a body of water, she wasn't sure. Then the clicking started, growing louder and louder into the mechanical sound she'd heard the night before. The mysterious jungle beast was outside.

Then came the shaking. Hard and fast, the cockpit twisted. She heard shouts from above her, where Kate and Jack were dealing with the pilot. Luggage and bodies all started falling down the inclined cockpit, and it felt like she was reliving the plane crash again. The man's grip on her arm loosened, and as Nikole wedged herself between the man and the seat in front of him, she felt his pulse slow, then stop.

"That thing is outside!" Kate screamed down. Moving away from the man, Nikole climbed toward Jack and Kate to see if she could help. Through the cockpit door, she saw something move outside. A man she didn't recognize, she assumed to be the pilot, moved up to look out the window.

Out of nowhere, a shadow covered the window, pulling the pilot out of the plane. Blood rained down through the window, drenching her. "Get out! Get out now!" Jack shouted.

Nikole jumped straight down, landing outside the cockpit on top of the body that had fallen just minutes before. Kate was soon beside her, and Jack. "Move!" he shouted.

Not looking back, Nikole sprinted away as fast as she could. Behind her she could hear the sound of the monster, its huge feat pounding the ground as it followed them. Peering around, she saw that Kate and Jack were both gone.

She kept running, shouting both their names in hopes that they would find her. _I hope they're ok. Please God, let them be ok. _

As quickly as the attack started, it ended. The mechanical clicking stopped, the ground was steady again. The rain eased into a light drizzle. She stopped running, trying to catch her breath.

"Nikole?" She turned around to see Kate standing there. "Where's Jack?"

"I lost him when I started running. Could you see what that thing was in the cockpit?"

Kate shrugged, her face still terrified. "No idea. No fricken idea. We need to find Jack."

Nikole agreed silently. She followed Kate as they walked carefully back toward the cockpit. Out of nowhere, the other woman stopped by a large puddle, leaning down. "What do you see?"

Kate held up a set of wings, the kind a pilot would wear. Looking up into the tree, she saw the pilot's body, mangled and dripping with blood. "Kate, Nikole!" Jack stepped out of the bushes.

"What the hell happened to him?" Kate asked.

"That thing happened to him. And it'll happen to us too if we don't get out of here. I have the transceiver, that's all we need," Jack replied.

Nikole said nothing, as Jack began leading the way back to camp. She wished she'd just stayed the extra day in Melbourne and finished the tournament. Reagan would have still been in Seattle when she got back, what was the difference between one day and the next.

Far off, a good distance now from where they were, she heard the clicking sound again. Kate froze, and Nikole heard her counting softly to five. Jack didn't appear to be bothered.

"Where the hell are we?" she whispered. She didn't get an answer. She hadn't expected one.

* * *

**Hey everyone! Hope you all enjoyed the first episode! I'm trying to avoid using a lot of dialogue directly from the show, which I hope is working. Also, I'm switching up events on the island, and that'll effect the castaways we know better. Charlie has yet to get back to the plane to get his heroine, so that will be affecting him somehow. I have some ideas for crazy twists later on up my sleeve, not sure if I'll actually use them, but I hope that everyone is enjoying how I'm writing this. Any suggestions, critiques, comments are always used to help me improve, so feel free to leave them with your review! **

**Thanks to all of you who reviewed last chapter: HeroineInducedPanic, Charlotte Lewis, Northern Wolf, Passionately Purple Paramoure, DiorNicole, Hope, Son of Adam, MoonlightGardenias, GuitarHeroLost, Golden-Black Dragon, GreenTeaHoney, AlexaGeorge, Elyad, Lostlova815, PirateKnightoftheRings, and xLostxFanaticx. You are all fabulousssss (and if I missed anyone, I love you too!).  
**

**Also, if anyone is interested in submitting characters, I am looking for male freighties and expendible survivors. Thanks!!!!**

**One last note- classes at my school resume tomorrow (and aparently I'm expected to pass them and graduate, sigh), and with those in addition to band and applying to grad school, there may be delays in updating the story. I usually aim for a chapter every week to week and a half, but it can get a little iffy once I'm in school. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten you! Love you all! All the best- Jac  
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	5. There Will Be No White Flag

**Disclaimer: Lost belongs to people much more intelligent than I. OC's belong to their respective authors. Carriewas written by Steven King. Lord of the Rings was written by JRR Tolkien. I do not own Vera Wang, Russian Vogue, Paris Hilton or Jimmy Choo brands. _Survivor_ was created by Mr. Marc Burnett. Chapter title taken from the song "White Flag" by Dido.**

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**Chapter Two  
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"…_do not be overly concerned if you see a mountain lion. You are pretty much safe everywhere. If you look at the risk factor, you are more likely to be killed driving to a hiking trail than being attacked on a trail"_

_Steve Martarano_

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_

Jason King settled back into the sofa in Juliet's living room, flipping through the battered copy of Carrie he'd borrowed from Blair. The woman was currently sitting across from him, pouring through the novel, her reading glasses propped on her nose as she prepared to make a point. In all honesty, the story really wasn't his cup of tea, as he always preferred a good fantasy novel like Lord of the Rings. Call it his inner nerd.

Looking out the window, he tried to glimpse the clinic being held for the island teenagers. Goodwin had been bothering Senna again- something Jason was absolutley done tolerating. He saw a flash of red zoom by. _And there goes Peyten. She's gonna kill herself one day if she doesn't slow down._

"I don't see why you hate this book, Madelyn," Blair said. "I agree with Jules, it's a great read, and besides that, I think it really is a great depiction of how humans treat each other."

"It's just so gruesome!" Maddie responded, wide eyed. "And all the kids were just… just awful to her. She was so alone, so isolated."

Across the circle, Cassandra Beckett gave a sniff of disdain. The sad look in her eyes was there, just as it had been every day since Jason had arrived on the island. "Well I personally like this book. Yes, it takes place in a high school, but you can apply Carrie's feelings and situations to other people and places. It's universal."

"I can see why Ben didn't show up today," Adam stated bluntly. He'd already shared his negative opinion of the novel. "This is cult trash, Juliet. No overriding theme or metaphor. And it's sci-fi. You _know _Ben hates sci-fi."

"I'm sorry I enjoy some escapism, Adam," Juliet replied, looking irked. "I think we all need it every once and a while, and if Ben doesn't understand that, I can't be held at fault."

Suddenly, the ground started shaking and a loud noise filled the air. "Everybody get under the doorway, quick!"

Jason wasn't one to ignore good advice. Helping Cassie and Amelia out of their seats, he wedged himself under the doorway. The ground continued shaking roughly, and he ducked his head in case the roof collapsed. The movement lasted a good two or three minutes. Then, as quickly as it had started, the ground stopped shaking and the entire world was still. Juliet's extensive book collection now littered the floor, and a glass figurine she kept on the mantelpiece had fallen and shattered. At least they were still alive.

_That wasn't an earthquake, _he thought. He needed to get back to his lab- the event had to be documented. He followed the book club outside, where they were met by the rest of the community.

"What the hell was that?" Anna Lucas asked, holding a damp towel to her forehead as she stepped off her porch. A bump was beginning to form where something had hit her.

"Holy shit. Look up," Emily Higgins whispered, rooted in the spot next to her father.

Jason lifted his head, shading his eyes from the sun. To his right, he saw Ben emerge from his house. Overhead there was a plane.

The plane was the first he had ever seen pass over the island. It had broken into three pieces and was crashing down onto the island. As they disappeared from sight, moving with astounding velocity toward the ground, he heard crashes and explosions in the distance.

"Jason did you see where the fuselage landed?" Ben asked him.

"Yeah, maybe five miles south of here, give or take," he replied.

Ben nodded. "Good. You and Goodwin run up there. If there are survivors, pretend you're one of them, look dazed and confused. Make up stories if you have to. And get the lists together for me. Blair will collect your reports in three days. Ethan, you get to the tail section, it fell over the water. Listen, don't get involved. Got it?"

O O O

_"We need more scientists of your caliber getting involved. If you're interested, Jason, the job is yours," Mr. Alpert said. His smile was excited and enthusiastic, and Jason noticed that his forehead was not wrinkled in the slightest. Alpert clearly loved his Botox._

_Jason relaxed into the padded chair opposite the Mittolos Laboratories representative, pushing his silver-framed glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I'm definitely interested, but you mentioned there's a relocation involved?"_

_"Ah, yes. That would be an important detail, wouldn't it? Our current research- the foremost, up-and-coming work- is being done on an island in the South Pacific. We have a fairly substantial community there. It's a thriving little town. We have classes, clubs, everything you could want."_

_Jason frowned. He wasn't sure his fiancé would be too keen on that. She was two steps (alright, two pirouettes) away from becoming principal ballerina in the Moscow Ballet. It would be the culmination of her career, a sign that twenty-one years of hard work had been worthwhile. Could he really ask her to pick up her life and move with him to some backwoods jungle town in the South Pacific so he could pursue electromagnetism research?_

_"Can I wait to give you an answer? I'll have to run it by my fiancé. If she's willing to relocate, I absolutely accept the offer."_

_Jason missed the wary looked that passed over Alpert's face. "Not a problem, Jason. I just need you to know that I won't be in town long. I'm taking a boat back out to the island in a little over a week. I'd like to have your answer by then, so you can join me on the trip back." He handed Jason a business card. "You can contact me here when you're ready."_

_He shook Alpert's hand as he stood, and left the building. One week to make his decision. This conversation with Senna was going to be fun…_

O O O

Natalie walked along the shoreline, allowing the damp sand to squish between her toes. She had to get away from camp for a little while to clear her mind. Helping the distracted and worried parents keep an eye on the kids had been a good way to occupy her time, especially since it seemed that everyone thought it was the only thing she was useful for. Still, there was a distinct lack of quiet, and right now, that was all she wanted.

Christopher was a bit of a screamer. His dad was trying hard, but he really didn't have much control over the boy. She suspected that Brad hadn't been part of his life for long. Elizabeth was a typical three year old, whose case of the terrible twos hadn't quite passed. Katherine even admitted that little Lizzie liked to exercise her lungs frequently.

Natalie couldn't blame the kids- she wanted to scream too. Something made her feel responsible, though, and made her feel like she had to set a positive example. So the completely freaked out side of Natalie faded away, and everyone saw totally brave Natalie instead.

She glanced down at her watch, which was miraculously working. It had been almost four hours since Jack and the two women had marched into the jungle, and two hours since she'd heard the familiar mechanical sound they'd heard in the woods the night before. She was worried.

"Taking a walk?" a voice asked behind her. She spun around quickly, and saw an older, balding man.

"Jesus, don't sneak up on me like that," she said, feeling her heart beat loudly against her chest. "That thing in the jungle's got everyone freaked out."

"I'm sorry," he apologized. Natalie recognized him as the man who had been teaching Christopher and Walt how to play backgammon earlier in the day. "My name's John Locke. You're Natalie."

Though she assumed that he knew her name from speaking to the two boys, she was eerily creeped out by his presence. There was no reason for it, just a feeling. "What can I do for you, Mr. Locke?"

"You looked like you wanted a break from watching the children," he said. "Some of the people are sorting through the luggage up near the jungle. You should go help them. It would be better than walking alone out here. Err on the side of caution."

She was sure it was just fatherly concern, or something along those lines. Locke was just trying to fit in among the survivors, probably after living alone for many years. Even so, Natalie couldn't get past her gut instinct about the man. There was something… off.

Muttering a, "Thanks," she headed up the beach to where Lalah was directing the sorters as quickly as her legs would move.

O O O

Holding the phone high in the air, Jay waved it around trying to get service. One bar, maybe two, and he'd be able to contact the other agent who had been on the plane. It was imperative he ascertain whether he survived. It seemed unlikely- hidden away in the cargo hold, he probably drowned somewhere in the ocean. Still, it didn't hurt to try. As he walked up the beach to try a new location, he passed the man named Locke talking to one of the teenage girls.

Jay had been trained to survive in these types of situations, and to ensure that the civilians around him were safe. He was impressed by how quickly they'd organized, and how little they'd allowed their emotions to overcome them. It lessened his job significantly, and gave him the ability to fade into the background. In that he was lucky. The man he was protecting had survived the crash, thank God, and now Jay could continue his work without having to worry about protecting the other survivors at every turn.

Once again, he flipped the phone open, dialed the number, and held it up into the air.

"You know, you're not going to get any service out here," Mia snapped at Jay as he waved the phone again. He had noticed her sitting far apart from the group- he prided himself on knowing where all the survivors were at every moment- but hadn't realized he'd stumbled across her hiding spot until she spoke.

He didn't address her by her name. They hadn't actually been introduced yet, and he didn't want to frighten her.

"Yeah, well I got a wife and kid back home, and they need to know I'm alive. My wife was widowed once before, I can't put her through that again," he shot back, falling easily back into his old cover story.

"That's how life works buddy," she snapped back. Mia was certainly jaded. "At least you're alive and you didn't lose anyone in the crash."

"Who was on the plane with you?" Jay asked curiously, snapping the phone shut. There was no use wasting the battery. He'd try again later, when the clouds cleared away.

"What's it to you?" she said curtly in response. He saw tears welling up in her eyes. _Poor kid. No one deserves that…_

"Hey! Hey! Are you all hungry?" A man Jay didn't recognize was run towards them. He tried to remember the faces he'd met the day before. It was possible they hadn't been introduced yet, but he wasn't totally convinced. "The Korean man caught some fish. He made some sushi, it's fabulous. Just like the stuff at Edo's in Santa Fe."

"Fish? He found fish?" The girl perked up immediately. "Finally! Something I can eat!" She sprinted down the beach.

"Did I meet you yesterday?" the stranger asked. "I don't think so. I'm Goodwin Stanhope." He offered his hand.

Jay shook Goodwin's hand, still suspicious. "I'm Jay Langdon. It's a pleasure."

O O O

Lalah watched as Natalie settled into a spot between Ryan and Claire, and immediately started to pull clothing out of the hot pink suitcase. She was a hard worker for such a young kid, and she admired her for it. Next to her, Claire's face was creased in concern. She supposed it had something to do with the baby, and she said a silent prayer that it was alright.

_Now, where did blondie go? _She wondered silently.

There were times in a woman's life when petty things should be set aside. Material objects like clothing and shoes, no matter how fantastic the designer, had to be shared for the good of the group. It was one of those survivor mentalities that she'd picked up watching Jeff Probst on eight seasons of _Survivor _(and, damn, wasn't she still secretly fuming over Boston Rob and Amber's win…).

Once she'd thought about auditioning for the show. Now it didn't seem like she had to.

That, however, was beside the point. When she stepped on the plane, she had checked four pieces of luggage. Since the crash, she'd found three pieces and donated them to the group. Lord knows, her Jimmy Choo's were likely to be a _huge_ asset on the island.

Lalah would have let the fourth bag go, and assumed it was lost. But she had seen it in the wreckage on the beach, near the man with the shrapnel in his chest. Now it was gone. Someone was withholding supplies from the group, and she knew exactly who it was.

The shaggy haired blonde called Sawyer had a serious attitude problem and had been sneaking around the beach all day, traveling between the tent he'd set up and the jungle. Every once in a while he'd show up with arms laden with trinkets that he feebly attempted to conceal. He was failing.

As she searched, the Korean man came up to her, holding a piece of metal with fish on it. He pulled her from her thoughts as he spoke to her in his own language. Succumbing to the hunger pangs, she took a piece. "Thank you!" she said, hoping that her gratitude would breach the language barrier.

Behind him, Sawyer was entering the jungle again. With a final nod of thanks, she excused herself from the rest of the group.

He moved with some difficulty through the jungle, his pants getting caught on the branches. A path was starting to be worn where the grass pushed down from his repeated trips between the beach and his stash.

"Son of a bitch," he muttered, stepping in mud. It covered the white sneakers he'd been wearing.

"Maybe you should watch where you're going," Lalah said, smiling internally when he jumped at the sound of her voice.

"What d'you want Vera Wang?" he asked. "Can't a man do his business in private?"

"Vera Wang is Asian-American you idiot," Lalah retorted, surprised she was even arguing the issue. This guy had been an ass to everyone.

He smirked. "Well that don't matter much to me, now, does it? Scram."

"Not until you give me my suitcase back. I know you have it. That's why you're out here."

"Hey, you didn't claim it, sister. How do I know it's yours?"

_Really? Are we really going there? _she fumed. _Head of the asshole committee, of course I get stuck with him. _ She acquiesced to his demand for proof. "My wife's name is on the tag. Nandi Mqwebu."

His eyebrow rose. "Wife?"

"Is that a problem?"

Sawyer shrugged, looking at the handle of the bag instead of her eyes. "There's no tag here," he taunted.

Lalah sighed in frustration. "Here's how this is going to go. You are going to give me my bag so I can sort my clothes in with the rest of the items we recovered. You're going to take whatever else you want from your hidden stash and bring it to your tent, and then you will leave the rest for me. Got it?"

"And what the hell makes you think I'll do that?"

"You know how Walt's dog is missing?" He nodded, so she continued. "Do you want to be known around camp as the reason Walt's dog is missing?"

The man stared at her blankly. "You fight dirty." With half a smirk, he handed over the bag. "I like it."

Taking the bag, she found Sawyer's path to the beach and started walking back. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the sunlight that somehow made it through the thick leaves glinting off a piece of metal. Lalah put the bag down and picked up what she saw.

Handcuffs.

"Gimme those," Sawyer said angrily. She hadn't even realized he'd stepped behind her. "I know exactly who those belong to."

O O O

_"These belong to you?" the middle-aged man asked Senna with a wink, completely ignoring Jason. It wouldn't be the first time. His fiancé was absolutely gorgeous. _

_"Yeah, those two are mine, and the other two are his. Please be so kind as to bring them to our_ _room." She said it with a smile, but she had made it clear that she was with Jason. He couldn't help but gloat as the man, disheartened, picked up the luggage and carried it away. _

_Richard Alpert emerged from the upper deck. "Hey Jason! Good to see you again. You have no idea how happy I was to hear back from you." He jumped down from the upper deck agilely, and strode over to them. "And you must be Senna! It's a pleasure to finally meet you. The man with your bags is Goodwin. Great guy, he and his wife Harper are a real force in the community."_

_The boat was spacious and well constructed. There were tall masts with sails, though the vessel was obviously powered by gas. White, with some bright blue accents, the name 'Jonah' was printed across the side. _

_"That bodes well," he whispered to Senna as he followed his boss, pointing the name out to her._

_"Well, we will just have to steer clear of whales, won't we?" She laughed lightly._

_Alpert led them down into a galley of sorts. Two others sat there, an older man with graying hair and a teenage girl. "I want to introduce you to Daniel Higgins. He's a microbiologist, and will be working in one of the labs near yours. This is his daughter Emily."_

_"Nice to meet you both," Daniel said. _

_"Likewise," Jason replied._

_"Now if you ladies don't mind, I'd like to talk to these two about some of the work they'll be facing once you reach the island. Goodwin!" The blonde haired man appeared at the door. "Can you show them to their rooms?" He watched Senna leave the room, easily drawing Emily into conversation. Settling back into his chair, he listened to Alpert's detailed plans. _

_When he finally arrived at his stateroom three hours later, he was still in awe of the rules that had Alpert had laid before him for island life (Avoid sex? Really?). Senna was lying on the bed, reading the latest issue Russian Vogue."Sorry about that," he said, laying down and pulling her into his arms. "Alpert's sending dinner up to us."_

_"Nice," she replied, leaning over to kiss him. She quickly settled back on the bed, reading her magazine. There was a small frown on her face._

_"You don't regret leaving, do you?" Jason felt like an idiot asking again- he'd asked half a dozen times before they'd left. He was normally confident, but he felt guilty for dragging her away from life in the real world._

_She sighed melodramatically, teasing. "If I didn't want to be here, Jason, I wouldn't be here. What's life without a few thrills? Besides, Moscow and ballet will always be there. How many times do you get a chance to live on a tropical island?" _

_"I knew we got engaged for a reason," he replied, trying to mask his sigh of relief. "I picked a smart one."_

_They were silent again, the feel of the waves hitting the boat rocking them. "I don't like Goodwin," Senna said bluntly. "The whole time we were together his eyes were wandering. I don't like it."_

_"Did he try anything?" Jason asked, anger slowly bubbling within him. He had a tendency to be overprotective. He couldn't help it, especially when it came to Senna._

_"No, it's just… creepy in a way, I guess. I hope everyone on this island isn't like that."She sighed, tossing the magazine to the floor. _

_"It won't be. I promise. And if he bothers you again, you come find me. I'll take care of it." He wasn't going to say anything to Goodwin- that just wasn't how he handled his problems. He would, however, be keeping a close eye on the man.  
_

_Senna covered his body with her own, leaning in to kiss him. "I love you, you know. And nothing on this island is going to change that." _

O O O

Near the fuselage, Jason picked up a slightly singed suitcase that Claire had pointed out. He hadn't expected it to be as heavy as it was, but with some effort he lifted it. Underneath it, there was a singed stack of paper with names on it.

_The passenger manifest,_ he thought. _Sweet. _

Since arriving with Goodwin, he'd remained silent, trying to blend in with the other survivors. Ben had ordered him to observe, and that's what he'd done. His cohort, on the other hand, had been joyously introducing himself to everyone he met. He'd never been the most intelligent character.

Jason thought he'd done a rather excellent job thus far. No one had asked his name yet, barely even talked to him until today when he started to help with the sorting. He had been able to collect names and observations on all the survivors without them ever knowing it.

James Ford had called him the sensitive, sissy journal boy when he caught him writing. Jason had added it to his list of things to tell Ben.

The manifest was indeed a gem of a find. If there was someone on there that was definitely dead, he could take their name. Then if the survivors ever took roll, he'd be safe. Scanning over the list, he was lucky enough to find another Jason, who had been seated in the first class area. He'd passed the front of the plane while running to the survivor's camp, and Goodwin had assured him that everyone there was dead. So for now, Jason King would be Jason Ayer. His act was safe.

"I'm sick of this redneck!" he heard someone bellow from up the beach, making him jump and drop the manifest and the suitcase. Jason looked up and saw a circle forming, two men fighting in the middle.

Goodwin was running to join the group, right behind Jay, the man from the CIA. For a moment, Jason thought about grabbing the flight manifest and encouraging Goodwin to pick a new name for himself. With a snort of disdain, he instead tossed the pile of paper back into the fuselage and joined the crowd.

O O O

"Break it up!" Michael shouted, trying to get a grip on Sayid. Sawyer, though, wasn't letting up. He rushed Sayid, punching him in the gut while he couldn't defend himself.

"The hell's wrong with you?" Brad shouted, forgetting that Chris was standing nearby. "Stop it!"

He grabbed Sawyer by the wrist, knocking him to the ground. "Let go of me, boy!" the southerner shouted. "This son of a bitch needs to learn a lesson."

"Go ahead. Say it. Say I crashed the damned plane!" the Middle Eastern man shouted. Brad highly doubted that was true. The man had been working hard to help all the survivors. He seemed genuinely decent.

"If the shoe fits, buddy. If the shoe fits." Sayid pulled away from Michael, rushing Sawyer. He shoved Brad away, lunging at the other man.

Rolling on the ground, the two men were throwing punches and kicks. Both were obviously experienced fighters. "Hey! Would you stop it! If you get hurt, no one's here to help you!" Michael yelled, trying to get between the two.

Frustrated, Brad yanked Sawyer away from the fight. Sawyer turned and decked him straight in the nose before he went after Sayid again. He felt blood starting to run down his face. Still, he held onto Sawyer tightly. This was not what the group need right now.

"What the hell is going on here?" Jack asked, emerging from the jungle with Nikole and Kate close behind him.

"I found handcuffs in the jungle," Lalah said.

"And this guy was on the plane by himself," Sawyer added, pulling away from Brad. "The fella next to him didn't make it. Convenient, isn't it?"

"Your skills of observation are truly impressive," Sayid muttered.

This angered Sawyer, who ran forward again, dragging Brad with him.

"STOP IT!" Kate shouted. "When we crashed, we were off course. The search parties don't know where we are" Mumbles of shock rose within the crowd, and Brad knew he was gaping stupidly. _They don't know where we are? How is that possible?_

"The transceiver is broken, and we won't be able to reach anyone if it isn't fixed. Does anyone know electronics?"

"I do. Let me look at it, I can see if it is reparable," Sayid offered.

"Oh, now there's a genius idea-" Sawyer started.

"Shut the hell up, I'd rather him fix it than you," Brad snapped, using the sleeve of his hoodie wipe the blood away from his face.

With the arrival of the Jack, the crowd dispersed and resumed the tasks they'd started. Sawyer wandered away sullenly, lighting up a cigarette. "Are you alright?" he heard a sweet Australian accent ask. Claire was standing behind him.

"I'll be fine," he said sharply. Remembering it wasn't her fault, he apologized.

"No worries. Come with me, we'll find something to get you cleaned up." Without argument, he followed her towards the selection of sorted goods.

O O O

"Jack!" Katherine exclaimed, relieved to see the doctor had returned. She'd been sitting with the shrapnel man for almost two hours now. She'd done her best to comfort him, not sure of what else she could do. In this situation, Jack was a much more qualified doctor than herself. "I don't think he's doing well. I'm worried."

"Let's take a look at him," he said, a grimace on his face. Anyone could tell without careful observation that the man wasn't in good shape.

"Were you able to find the transceiver?"

"Yeah, Sayid is fixing it now. Hopefully it'll be up and running soon."

Katherine smiled. If they could radio out, then help would come sooner, and the nameless man that lay on the ground would soon be able to get to a hospital.

Jack's exam of the man lasted about half an hour. "We have to pull this out," he stated. "He'll die if we don't. He could have a chance if we can stop the bleeding, so long as he doesn't go into sepsis."

"Do you really think we could do that successfully?" Katherine asked.

"It's our only option. Would you be willing to assist?"

She glanced over at Lizzie, who was napping on the makeshift rag cot that Jack had made. There was no way she was going to allow the little girl to stay in the tent while they were operating, but she didn't want her to be too far away….

No, the man needed help urgently. It was no time to be overprotective. "Let me find Mackenzie to watch the baby. Then we can get started."

The flap of the tent was flung open. "Jack, Sayid fixed the transceiver, but we need to get to an open field where we can get a good signal. A bunch of us are going to hike up into the mountains to find some open space."

"But the monster's out there!" Katherine said.

Kate shrugged. "It's a risk we'll have to take."

"Why don't you wait a few hours? Katherine and I have to pull the shrapnel out, but then I can come with you," Jack offered insistently. Katherine could tell he did not like losing control, and by allowing them to hike up the mountain without him, it was one part of the rescue attempt that would be beyond his grasp.

She noticed how Kate's face dropped at this news. "The battery won't last that long, Jack. We have to go now." She paused. "Will he survive?"

"Dunno. If we get lucky, he will."

"Well then," Kate said, adjusting the backpack she had slung over her shoulder. "Good luck. We'll be back."

"If you see anything, run!" Katherine called behind her.

O O O

Shannon and Boone were arguing again, and Ryan was considering shoving his face in the large signal fire that burned in front of him. Anything would be better than hearing those two bicker. The blonde had been crying over a flight attendant, and then refused to help around camp. Her brother called her useless, which had just set her off even more.

Standing, plotting his escape from the sibling rivalry from hell, he saw Sayid and Kate making preparations to go out with the transceiver. Being a quiet guy, he tended to overhear conversations he wasn't supposed to hear. Like how the pilot had been killed by the thing in the jungle. Oh yeah, he knew, but he wasn't about to start a mass panic.

"Do you guys want some company on your hike?" he offered, running a hand through his brown hair. It wasn't often he put himself out there. "An extra set of eyes will help if that thing is lurking about."

Kate smiled. "That'd be great Ryan. Thanks!"

He felt himself blushing. _Do not do this now Ryan. This isn't first grade._ He looked at the ground, convinced that Sayid would figure out was going on.

"I'm coming with you!" Shannon shrieked, stomping through the sand towards them. Ryan groaned internally. Hadn't he done his time in purgatory with Paris Hilton?

"No, she's not. She's just doing this to annoy me!" Boone said, following right behind her. The bickering commenced again, and this time Kate and Sayid were left looking as incredulous as Ryan did.

"What's going on?" a man Ryan had yet to meet asked as he meandered over.

"Well," Sawyer piped up as he walked nonchalantly past them towards his tent. "The Doc, Freckles and Mocha found the transceiver, but it was broken. Captain Falafel fixed it, and now he and Freckles are gonna march up the mountain to get a signal. And Donny and Marie here can't decide who gets to be a little bit country and who gets to be a little bit rock and roll."

"Is it bad that that whole spiel made more sense than just about everything that's happened to us since the crash?" the man asked. Ryan laughed.

"Are _you _going on the hike?" Shannon asked Charlie sharply.

"Uh yeah," he stuttered, in surprise. Charlie hadn't even been a part of the conversation. "Are you going?"

Shannon glanced at Boone's angry face quickly, then replied, "Hell yes."

"Then I'm there."

"Hey! Does anyone know where Jack is?" Nikole was limping towards the group. "I think I hurt my foot jumping out of the cockpit before."

"He's doing surgery on the shrapnel guy, but I think Katherine's also down that end of the beach. She could look at it for you." Niki nodded and started limping away. "Do you need help?"

She nodded reluctantly with a sheepish smile. Ryan watched as Boone looked from Nikole to Shannon, and then back to Nikole. Shannon was smirking, her arms crossed across her chest.

"Do _not_ get yourself killed," Boone said to his sister before he allowed Niki to sling an arm over his shoulder so she could walk down the beach.

"Hey, do you all mind if I tag along? Sitting here is making me restless," the man offered.

"Sure…" Sayid paused, obviously not knowing this guy's name either.

"I'm Jason Ayers."

Sawyer turned around, walking back to the group. "Don't leave without me Freckles." He winked at her.

Kate interrupted the conversation impatiently. "Everybody can come, we need to leave now. We don't have all night."

O O O

_Jason closed the door softly. He'd spent half the night in the lab trying to rewire an electromagnet after the fuse inexplicably blew. It didn't make sense- the circuit weren't overloaded, there were no problems with the internal wiring. Nothing in that damned lab made any sense.  
_

_On the kitchen table long cold bowl of pasta and tomato sauce sat. Even after all the arguing over his work hours, Senna still left dinner for him. Their relationship was crumbling before his eyes, and they hadn't been on the island for even a year. He knew it was his own fault too. The work at the lab was frustrating, inexplicably challenging, and these unforeseen explosions of his equipment brought it all to another level._

_Another night at the lab, another night Senna was left alone. He entered the bedroom, tossing his shirt on the floor, and lying down next to her. There was a gap between them that had never been there before, and he was certain they looked like the parents in the Brady Bunch- together, but not really together. _

"_Jason is that you?" he heard her mumble. _

_"Yeah it's me," he replied. In the darkness, he lay staring up at the ceiling. Three cracks ran across it, before they hit the crown molding that ran around the edges. Fifteen minutes, twenty minutes passed and sleep was not coming._

_"Are we falling apart?" he heard Senna whisper softly. As if she read his mind, she voiced exactly the thoughts that had been running through his head. _

"_You're so involved in your research these days, and I'm always with the kids. We haven't had sex since we got to this island, not that that's the end all and be all, but it counts for something. And I'm just… it's been…" She turned over on her side, taking his hand. He felt the cool platinum of her engagement ring against his skin. "You know what, I'm being stupid. We'll talk in the morning."_

_Jason sat up, moving the pillows so he could prop himself up comfortably. "Hey, if this is bothering you, it's a big deal. You're not being stupid. And I know what you mean. I've been thinking about it too"_

_She sat up, "So what do we do now?"_

_Jason thought. He hadn't planned this far ahead. He still loved her. The night they'd met in Russia was still the greatest of his life. "How about we talk in the morning. Our minds will be clear, we'll come up with the best solution."  
_

_Senna nodded. "In the morning then." She moved closer to him, curling up against his chest._

O O O

As they came to the first clearing, Jason finally allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief. He'd been worried they'd start walking towards the barracks, but Sayid had luckily led them in a different direction. He was smart, the Iraqi torturer.

The grass was tall, and though he could easily see over it, Kate and Charlie were nearly invisible to him. "Hey Ali Baba, turn on that radio and see if we got a signal!" Sawyer called.

Shannon stopped walking, looking at Sawyer as if he was her new savior. She was breathing heavily, almost panting. "You alright?" Jason asked her.

"Oh you know, I'm just peachy here on Craphole Island!" she replied, and he almost discerned a smile on her cynical face.

"Ali, you gonna try and pick up a signal?" Sawyer taunted. Sayid remained stoic, observing the scenery around him.

"No, this area isn't clear enough."

"What do you bloody mean it isn't clear enough? The whole sky is open," Charlie argued.

Jason shook his head. "He's right. We're still blocked by the mountains. The signal won't pick up, and we'll just run down the batteries."

"The signals blocked or our friendly neighborhood terrorist is lying to us," Sawyer snapped.

"Hey, there's no reason for that!" Ryan replied, his voice elevated only slightly.

"We must keep moving up the—"

The growl was soft, but the pounding of the footsteps was loud. Jason knew exactly what was coming at them, but he couldn't say it. The others would never believe him, and it'd be a dead giveaway that he'd been living on the island. The growling got louder, the footsteps faster as the animal broke into a run.

"Move! Everybody, get out of here!" Kate shouted. They all scattered, Jason among them, leaping into the tall grasp out of the way. He wasn't going to stand in the path of a polar bear. He heard the others rushing around in more of a panic. Unlike him, they had no idea what was moving towards them. "Sawyer move! What are you doing?"

One, two, three, four shots resonated through the valley. As Jason edged back towards Sawyer, he saw the man holding the gun straight out in front of him. The polar bear lunged, but fell down in a heavy mass dead before it could strike.

"Oh my God, please tell me that isn't what I think it is," Shannon moaned, moving closer to poke tentatively at the animal. Her face contorted in disgust at it.

"Why is there a polar bear on an island in the South Pacific?" Ryan asked.

_Now there's a story for a rainy afternoon, _Jason answered silently in his head. "Where did it come from?" he asked, to cover his own butt. As long as he seemed surprised, no one would suspect anything.

"Oh, you know. Polar Bear Village, it's right down the road." Sawyer snapped back. Jason wondered what the man would say if he really knew that there _was _a village down the road.

"More importantly," Kate said, turning to Sawyer. "Where did you get the gun?"

With the smirk that Jason was certain the southern man had trademarked, Sawyer held up a government badge. "Souvenirs, Freckles. We're all gonna want to remember this trip when we get back to the real world. Picked these up off a federal marshal, also known around here as shrapnel guy. Don't seem like he's gonna need it anytime soon."

"Wait a sec. If you knew he was a marshal, you must be the prisoner!" Charlie accused. "It makes sense!"

"Now just hold on a second Frodo-" Sawyer started, but Kate grabbed the gun out of his hand as he turned.

"Tell me how to take this apart," she demanded. "Now."

Quickly, Sayid relayed to her the instructions, and Kate packed the gun into her backpack. "We need to keep moving," the Iraqi man said. "We need to get back to camp by dark, and we still have to get to a clearing to get the signal. We must move."

O O O

_"I said move on Goodwin," Jason said in a soft, harsh voice. "Leave Senna the hell alone. She's not interested."_

_When Senna had pulled him aside after her dance class to complain about the older man's continual advances, even after her numerous attempts to stop him, he'd half gone berserk. Though they had ended their engagement, they were still close. After all, they were still the newest additions to island life. With a promise that he'd take care of it, Jason stormed out of the studio and pounded on the door of Goodwin's home. Luckily, Harper had been out. _

_It was a rarity that Jason let his anger out. Normally he kept it inside until it passed. But Goodwin had ignored Senna's requests and Jason's continual warnings, and he was pissed.  
_

_Goodwin smiled at him, charming and deceptive, as if he had no idea what the problem was. "As far as I know, Senna is a single woman, Jason. She's not bound to you anymore. Fair game."_

_"No, not fair game. She's already told you to stop. She wants to be left alone. And you're married. Does the name Harper ring a bell?"_

_"Sure it does. But it doesn't bother Juliet at all. Why should it bother her?"_

_Jason scowled. "Because unlike you two idiots, Senna actually has some sense of morality about her. Now back off, or I'll make sure you back off permanently." Without waiting for an answer, he stalked out of the house, slamming the door behind him. He knew he had to cool down. _

_"Hey! Hey Jason!" Little Alex came running up to him, the curls of her brown hair bouncing. "My dad wants to see you. He's over at our house. It's real urgent."_

_Jason was confused. Since arriving, he'd met Ben only once or twice, and very briefly. Even at the book club meetings, he was very distant. "Sure, no problem Alex. I'll head over there now." _

_It was only a short walk from Goodwin's home. He climbed the stairs and knocked on the door tentatively. "Come in!" a voice called from inside. _

_The sitting room lamps were off, and the only light came from through the slats of the window blinds. The walls were sparsely decorated. "Hi Ben. What can I do for you?" Jason asked._

_"It seems to me that we may have a mutual problem," he said cryptically._

_"It… it does?"_

_"Yes. Goodwin is rather a troublemaker, isn't he? I believe I have a solution to our problem, if you have the time to listen."_

_Jason had all the time in the world._

O O O

Halfway across the beach, Nikole stopped limping, shocking Boone. "I thought you said you hurt your leg?" he asked.

"I lied. It happens. There's a reason though!" she insisted. She didn't know if Boone would go along with this plan or not, but he seemed the type that would be willing to help a person in need. It was hard for Nikole to trust any guy, but she had a good feeling about him, one she hadn't felt toward any member of the male species in some time.

"Care to explain?" he asked.

"Jack didn't tell the whole story of what happened at the cockpit."

A look of incredulity spread across his face. "You're shitting me."

"No. The pilot was still alive and talking when they found him. He was the one who told Jack and Kate that the plane was off course by thousands of miles. He showed them the transceiver."

"Why didn't he come back with you?" The expression of worry that crossed over Boone's face indicated he already had some idea.

"That… that thing got him. It chased Kate, Jack, and I out of the plane. I didn't think we were going to make it, but we did. And that was when we found the pilot's body torn apart in a tree."

Boone sat down in the sand. "I can't believe this."

Nikole sat down beside him. "You need to believe me. And you need to trust me. We have to go back to the cockpit."

"Why the hell would we do that?"

"There was another man alive out there. He was still in his seat, just barely conscious. I want to try and save him; I can't just leave him to die. And I need you to come with me."

"Niki…"

"Please Boone? If that was you, wouldn't you hope someone would come back and help you?"

He sighed, looking out over the ocean. Every minute that passed was one minute less that man had to live, and Nikole was starting to worry. The monster was still out there.

"I'll go," he finally said, and a smile broke out across her face. "But we should leave now so we get back before dark."

"Not a problem," Nikole said. "I've already got a pack ready for you."

O O O

"We can check the signal here," Sayid announced, much to Ryan's delight. Apparently he wasn't as sturdily built as he thought. His legs were starting to cramp up from climbing the steep mountain, and he was almost certain the tree he grabbed to hoist himself up a particularly rough piece of terrain was actually poison sumac.

Sayid flipped the switch, and instantly, all of them were crammed around as they waited for any noise. Suddenly a bar appeared on the screen, then two, and Ryan felt his spirits lift.

"We've got a signal!" Jason exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of his feat. Ryan could understand his excitement. He'd had enough of this epic camp=out.

As the transceiver switched on, it started buzzing. Fuzzy static was all that could be heard. "Not good, not good," Sayid mumbled. "This is feedback. There's another transmission being played on the island."

"Maybe the island isn't deserted? Or there are other survivors?" Charlie suggested.

Ryan noticed that Shannon had remained quiet, the first time she had done such since he'd met her. _Somewhere, there's a God, _he thought. Sayid began playing with the knobs on the device, the static going in and out. Then, loudly, a voice speaking French was heard.

"THE FRENCH!" Charlie shouted. "I've never been so bloody happy to hear those damned Frenchies!"

"What is she saying?" Kate asked. "Who speaks French?"

Everyone remained silent. The voice on the radio said, "Iteration 7294531," fading in and out.

"The batteries are going. Someone needs to translate this. Please," Sayid begged. "Please, we need to go home, we need to be rescued."

Gathering his courage, Ryan offered, "I took some French in high school. It's not much, I don't really remember it." The transceiver was shoved into his hands.

Holding it up to his ear, he listened intently as another large number was repeated. Some of the words stood out to him, and he was able to translate them. The rest were a lost cause. Another iteration, another fadeout. Ryan listened to the message again, this time hearing the desperation in the woman's voice. But the words weren't coming together, and he couldn't translate full sentences. He felt the pressure on himself rising, as he knew everyone's hopes were lying on him. A third iteration His hands felt sweaty as he held the transceiver. A fourth iteration.

"Come on Ryan," Jason encouraged. "You've got this, man."

"There's something here about being alone, and she mentions others. She says please a lot. That's all I—"

"Oh my God." Shannon interrupted him, a look of panic spread across her face. "I… I understood what she said. She said that it killed them all. The others are dead, and now she's all alone on the island. She's begging for help. For someone to come and rescue her."

"Wait you speak French, Sticks?" Sawyer asked.

"Does it matter?" Shannon shouted hysterically. "That monster thing killed that woman's party, and it probably killed her too. What chance do we have?"

Sayid looked pensive. "What is it?" Ryan asked.

"The transmission's been playing for sixteen years. The iterations are a count, repeating before each message. Do the math. It's been playing for sixteen years. And if it is still playing, it's likely they were never rescued."

At this revelation, Ryan felt himself shocked into silence, a feeling evident in the rest of the group.

"Guys?" Charlie asked with trepidation. "Where are we?"

Ryan didn't have an answer.

* * *

**Wow, I can't believe how long I'm writing these chapters! I'm trying to include as many characters as I can in each chapter. I have an excel sheet where I'm keeping track of who gets flashbacks, who gets pieces of chapters, and who was left out of a chapter, just to try and make sure I get everyone in as much as I can. I know how hard it is waiting for your character to appear! I hope you all enjoyed Jason and his flashbacks!**

**Sorry for the delay in updates. School is crazy. Please know that I haven't forgotten about you, it's just a matter of finding time to type out thoughts that flow coherently. :-)  
**

**Thank you to all those who read, and especially to those of you who took the time to review: Passionately Purple Paramoure, GuitarHeroLost, Hope, DiorNicole, HeroineInducedPanic, AlexaGeorge, Lostlova815, Golden-Black Dragon, MoonlightGardenias, Son of Adam, Charlotte Lewis, GreenTeaHoney, and Elyad. You're all fabulous!**

**Next chapter we're switching perspective again.**** _T_****_he Other 48 Days _left out quite a few details of the real tail end experience...**

**Til next time, best wishes!!! - Jac**


	6. The Pains That Are Witheld For Me

**The Disclaimer: Lost does not belong to me. The original characters belong to the fantastically creative minds of the fabulous authors that submitted them to this story. The movie Titanic was written by James Cameron. The book The Godfather was written by Mario Puzzo. The TV show Punk'd was created by Jason Goldberg and Ashton Kutcher. Gilligan's Island was created by Sherwood Schwartz. Baywatch was created by Douglas Schwartz. Jabber Jaw was created by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears. Chapter title is taken from the song "Suicide is Painless," the theme song to M*A*S*H.  
**

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**Chapter Three  
**

"_It is an odd thing, but everyone who disappears is said to be seen at San Francisco. It must be a delightful city, and possess all the attractions of the next world"_

_-Oscar Wilde_

_

* * *

  
_

Shawn broke the surface of the water, spitting the bitter saline out of his mouth. His hair was sticking to the back of his neck and hanging in front of his eyes. Hee pushed it back, allowing it to slick down his neck so that he could see. Dog paddling, he watched the debris floating around him. The tail end of the plane, where he'd sat just moments before, sank into the water like a scene out of Titanic.

"LALAH!" was the first thing he heard, a voice shouting loudly and clearly, filled with desperation. "LALAH!"

"Hey kid, you okay? Can you swim?" A hand grabbed his shoulder, and he turned to see another man, maybe in his early forties, treading water next to him, looking incredibly anxious.

He nodded, pretty sure he was fine, though his heart was pounding like crazy. "Yeah, I can swim," Shawn replied.

The man nodded. "Good, follow me." He started swimming back into the ocean. Confusion must have passed over Shawn's face, because before he could ask, the man explained. "That woman needs help getting to shore. She's struggling."

Shawn followed where the man was pointing, and saw a girl maybe a few years older than him bobbing up and down in the water. Her arms were flailing wildly as she was pulled under. Without hesitation, he followed the man, taking in the scene before him as he swam.

"JUSTIN! JUSTIN WHERE ARE YOU?" came a scream on the beach.

It was a total out-of-body experience. He'd survived a plane crash with barely a scratch. Not only that, but it seemed like dozens of others had, judging by the voices. Turning quickly toward the beach, he saw others had made it to shore.

"Okay, I got you," he heard the man say as he reached the pregnant girl, hauling her towards shore. She coughed up water and bile. "Do you remember your name?"

"Yeah, yeah it's Lucy. I'm pregnant; my water broke when the plane started crashing. Oh my God, my baby!" she gasped.

"You… you're in labor?" the man asked. His face bore an expression of surprise, excitement, and concern.

Lucy cringed in pain. "Yeah, I'm seven and a half months along. That's not good, the baby can't come now! I can't give birth here!" She was in hysterics.

"Calm down, sweetheart, it's going to be alright. My name is Ethan. I'm a pediatric surgeon. You're in good hands."

O O O

_Shawn lifted one hand high above his head, waving goodbye to the helicopter with a facetious smile. Just as it disappeared into the sky, he flipped the passengers the bird. _

_Mr. Paik had been there for a total of fifteen minutes and Shawn could tell he was a total dick. His bodyguards had not been pleased to see him, considering the newest corporation intern had not been on the list of preapproved employees permitted in the building when the company CEO visited. He'd stormed about, ranting about the slow progress on one of their business deals. Vaughn Parry, one of his dad's lifelong friend, had been in a state of panic from the time he received the call on his cell phone thirty seconds before the helicopter landed. It was no wonder his hair was prematurely gray. _

_"I hope to God he didn't just see you do that," Vaughn said with a sigh, stealing a glance around the roof before actually stepping out the doorway. The poor guy was absolutely terrified of his boss. _

_"What's he gonna do? Go all 'The Godfather' on my ass?" Shawn questioned jokingly. His smile quickly faded when he saw the frown on Parry's face. _

_"You hungry?" he asked, quickly changing the subject. "It's just about lunch time, we can go to the Fish and Fry down on Thomas Road. We'll put some petrol in the car, relax after that fiasco."_

_Shawn nodded in agreement and followed him back inside to the elevator silently, his mind now stuck on the idea that Paik was the Korean equivalent of Don Correleone._

_He climbed into Vaughn's rusted-over pickup truck, and after a brief stop at the gas station (Shawn would never get used to the word petrol…), they entered the cheap fish and burger joint. "I got this one Shawn. Consider it my apology for having to deal with Paik this morning," the older man said. _

_"Thanks," he muttered, sliding into the cracked plastic seat. He brushed a browning piece of lettuce left over from someone's burger off the table._

God, I can't wait to get home… _ Shawn thought. When his dad had 'suggested strongly' he intern in Australia over the summer, he'd had high expectations for an awesome last summer before college. Some summer this had turned out to be… every expectation smashed. Thank God he rolled with the punches._

_"Ugh, would you PLEASE stop hitting on me?" a brunette girl shouted at the register clerk, a skeevy looking guy with greasy brown hair. "All I want is my cousin's last paycheck. You know her! Claire the pregnant girl. You can't miss her; her stomach's the size of a blimp…"_

_Vaughn sat back down at the table, and placed the tray on the table. His cell phone was ringing, playing the theme song from Gilligan's Island. _

"_Hello? Moira… Moira calm down, what's the matter? Shawn is right here. I'll put him on. Honey, just calm down."_

_He passed the phone to Shawn. "Hello?" Shawn said hesitantly. _

_"Sweetie, I'm afraid I have some bad news…"_

O O O

"Does anyone know CPR? Anybody?" Aly Ward shouted, casting her bag aside and shaking the man in front of her as hard as she could. He wasn't breathing, but she was sure it was because he'd swallowed too much water as he was washed ashore. He could be saved.

_I mean, come on, they did this on Baywatch all the time, didn't they? _she thought.

"I'm coming! Hold on!" a blonde haired woman who looked in her thirties said, falling to her knees beside the young man and sending up a cloud of sand. One-two-three, she started compressions on the man's chest.

"Do you think you can save him?" Aly asked. She wished she'd actually taken that CPR course in high school now. She'd actually be of some use.

"I'm gonna try," the blonde said. She breathed into the man's mouth, and he started coughing. "Ok, get it out. You're gonna be fine."

"Holy shit, how the hell did we survive that?" he asked as he ran a shaking hand through his shaggy hair. He coughed again.

"Okay, we've got you," Aly said softly, grabbing him so he didn't fall from the force of his hacks.

"Thanks." She could see the grateful look in his eyes. "I'm Gavin."

"Libby," the blonde replied.

"I'm Aly."

A cry across the beach drew their eyes to a man clasping his leg in agony. Further down, a heavily pregnant girl was breathing deeply, and Aly had a feeling that the group of survivors was about to gain another member. "I'm going to go check on that man. Aly, stay here and make sure our friend Gavin gets some rest, alright?"

She nodded, taking a seat next to the man. "Were you traveling alone?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No, I was with—"

"Gav! Hey Russ, I found him!" Two more men raced down the beach. "Dude, are you okay?"

"Peachy, Nathan," he replied sardonically. "Plane crashes, in my book, rank second only to surfing."

O O O

"Justin!" Sophie shouted halfheartedly. There was no more movement in the ocean, with the exception of the African man who was pulling out dead bodies. She watched each corpse he placed gently on the beach, afraid that she would catch sight of the forest green polo that her cousin had worn.

Wandering up the beach, she fought back tears. She wasn't going to give up the search for him. Not yet, at least.

"Do you hear shouting?" A dark-haired British woman asked from her seat on the ground, turning away from the two small children she'd been keeping an eye on. The little boy was clinging to his sister, who had just barely survived the crash.

"What shouts?" Sophie asked, praying silently that she would hear them. More survivors meant that there was still hope.

The two sat silently, waiting to hear anything. Suddenly, from somewhere in the jungle, she could hear it. "Help! Help me!"

A Hispanic woman approached them, sitting down next to the girl. "How are you feeling Emma? Better?" The girl nodded with a shy smile. "We haven't met yet, I'm Ana Lucia. What are you two doing?"

"We thought we heard someone shouting in the jungle" Sophie said. "There might be more survivors. Listen!"

In the distance, the voice shouted again. "Help! Oh Lord, didn't anyone else survive! Help!"

The woman frowned. "We need to set up a search party. Maybe three or four of us."

"I'll go!" Sophie volunteered quickly. The woman appeared hesitant to accept her help, but wasn't going to question a willing recruit. The woman on the ground, who introduced herself as Alice, declined to join, saying that she'd promised the African man she'd look after Zack and Emma.

"Two more?" Sophie asked, ready to get going.

"Hey! Hey you! Brown haired guy!" Ana shouted. The man in question looked up from his conversation with two other men and a young woman. "Get over here!"

He jogged over. "What can I do to help?" he asked calmly.

"Someone's trapped out in the jungle. I need people--"

"I'm in," he said without waiting to hear the rest of the plan. "You're both going right?"

The two women responded in the affirmative. "Oh, I'm definitely in. Yo, Nathan! Get over here man!"

A man in a red shirt with spiked brown hair came over. "What's up Russ?"

"The ladies are takin' us on an adventure, my friend!" he said with a wink.

Sophie normally would have been annoyed by Russ's behavior, but she saw the apologetic look in Nathan's eyes, and decided she had more important things to do than worry about a womanizer.

"Let's get going," Ana Lucia said. "We want to get back here before dark."

"Wait a second," Russ said, apparently only realizing he'd volunteered to trek to an unknown location in the jungle. "Just how long do you think this going to take?"

O O O

"_It'll take some time for her condition to stabilize, but the odds are good she'll survive, Mr. Davenport," Dr. Woodruff said, stepping away from Arianna's bedside. "Someone taught your nephew well as a kid. He called 911 right away. If he hadn't…"_

"_He saw her like this?" The doctor nodded grimly. _

_Blonde hair was splayed across the stiff pillow, and the white sheets had small droplets of blood that had escaped the bandages that swathed her wrists. Ari was pale, every freckle looking like someone drew on her with a dark brown magic marker. Her breathing was shallow, and she was attached to half a dozen machines._

_Shawn had never felt so alone in his life. His parents were flying in Thursday- it was the earliest available seating- to take care of the details of Ari and her son's care. _

_He blamed himself. After Arianna divorced her husband, she'd taken the baby and cut off contact with the family. No one knew where she was for months, until they got a letter from Katoomba, just outside Sydney. Before he left for Australia, Shawn had slipped the old envelope out of his dad's desk._

_The previous Saturday, he'd borrowed Vaughn's old pickup and drove out to the weather beaten ranch house after somehow acclimating himself to driving on the wrong side of the road. As he pounded on the door, shingles fell off the roof, just barely missing his head. The television was on, and the car was in the driveway, but no one answered. He'd given up, deciding that if Ariana wanted to be on her own, he would let her. Now he regretted that choice.  
_

"_My nephew - where is he now?" Shawn asked, his concern going immediately to the little boy he hadn't seen since he was a few years old. _

"_Child protective services have him. Once your parents get here, you can pick him up. That is, unless his dad is in the picture. His dad will have first rights as custodian, until she is well."_

_Shawn frowned. "Brad never had any use for Christopher or Ari. He'll be with us til my sister is better."_

O O O

"HOLY JESUS!" Lucy screamed. "Get this effing kid out of me. Right. NOW!"

Shawn had lost all feeling in his hands, the girl's grip was so tight. He imagined that anger and determination to get the baby out was a better emotion than the terror she had been experiencing before. For the first two hours of her labor, she had been absolutely hysterical that something horrible was wrong with the baby. He still had his suspicions. Shawn wasn't an expert, but he knew babies weren't supposed to be born at seven and a half months.

"It's gonna be alright Lucy. Don't you worry about a thing," Ethan cooed. "You're doing fine."

The girl pushed herself up on her elbows, looking down at the two taking care of her. "Are you sure? Shouldn't one of you be looking through the debris for, like, drugs or something?"

"Believe me, the drugs do not help." Shawn had seen the woman who sat down with Lucy and took her hand from him before. She spoke with a heavy Russian accent. "I had a little girl, her name is Jezebel. I never thought she would come out."

"How long were you in labor?" Lucy asked, looking mildly concerned.

"Twenty-" She stopped speaking when Ethan shot her a dirty look. "Well, it felt like twenty hours. But it was really more like four or five. I was lucky; I had my husband Dmitri there with me. Was the father on the plane with you?"

Lucy cringed as another contraction overtook her. With a sigh of relief, he saw that she had grabbed the Russian woman's hand. The vice grip didn't seem to bother her.

"Stupid… drunk… one night stand," Lucy shouted.

O O O

"Hey, are you hurt?" JP Carlton asked, taking a seat next to the African American woman. She sat quietly in the sand, away from the rest of the survivors, watching the man pull in the bodies from the water.

She shook her head, eyes not moving. "Did you lose someone on the plane?" He tried again.

This time he got an affirmative response, the woman wiping a tear off her cheek. "It was so stupid… My wife and I, we fought last night. I cheated, once, and it was such a mistake, a huge mistake. And the woman… oh, what does it matter? I followed Lalah onto this flight; I couldn't let her go without fighting for our relationship. I love her, with all my heart- it's been an uphill battle the entire time. And… and now she's dead, and our kids will never see her again."

JP nodded in understanding, struggling to figure out what to say. At least Charlie was safe at home. "I lost my grandfather about five years ago, and for me, that was probably the hardest loss I've ever experienced. I really can't imagine what you're going through, but you've got a whole island full of survivors of this crash that you can turn to."

The woman half smiled. "We haven't even all met each other yet. How do you know we'll all pull together? You're a bit of an optimist, aren't you?"

"Two years in the Peace Corp. I've seen how the most poverty stricken communities pull together during a crisis. I think that's something you see in all people. And I'm JP by the way."

The woman smiled. "It's nice to see you've got a brain on your head, JP. It's a rare thing these days. I'm Nandi. My wife, Lalah, she's brilliant. She's the strongest woman I know."

JP smiled. "I wish I could have met her."

A loud cry rose from the opposite side of the beach. "What's going on?" the woman asked.

"One of the girls on the plane was pregnant. She's in labor right now. We seriously got lucky though, one of the other survivors is a pediatric surgeon. Fate may be a bitch, but every once and a while it's pretty damn convenient."

Looking at Nandi, he knew that she couldn't agree more.

O O O

Russ grabbed Sophie's arm as she stumbled forward. "Careful ," he said softly, getting a good look at her face. "Hey, now that I look at you, you look really familiar."

"Ever seen the TV show Autumn?"

The name sounded familiar. His ex-girlfriend had probably forced him to sit through it once. Even the title sounded girly. "Vaguely?" he responded.

"Alright, have you ever read a tabloid?" Sophie asked.

"Oh yeah! They linked you to that singer, Charlie Pace! Wait, doesn't that show take place in the US? You're British." Russ was ever-so-slightly embarrassed by his incredibly vast knowledge of the contents of the trashy tabloid magazines. He blamed the same ex-girlfriend.

"I'm an actress, you idiot," she said before pausing to climb up a particularly steep ridge. "I can change my accent when I want to."

"Do you two plan on talking this whole trip, or are you going to focus?" Ana Lucia called back to them harshly. "We're almost there, the shouting os getting louder."

Russ followed Sophie up the ridge, pulling himself up easily. Never before had he been so grateful for his hours in the gym whiling away boredom. "No need to yell, Ana. We're right behind you."

They marched silently through the field, Nathan and Ana Lucia leading the group.

"HELLLLLP!" he heard a man shout, louder than ever. Nathan broke into a run, and Russ followed him.

"HELP ME!" the shout was louder than ever, but the man was nowhere to be seen.

"Where are you? We can't help if we can't see you!"

"I'm up here!"

In a tall tree with light foliage, a man in his fifties was trapped in his plane seat, a dead body next to him. "We'll get you down! Don't worry!"

"Oh my God, Justin!" Russ heard Sophie sob, sounding relieved. "Justin! I'm here! We're gonna get you down!"

"I'm not Justin!" the older man shouted. "My name is Tony!"

Sophie rushed toward the tree, but Russ grabbed her first. "No, you can't. If you shake the tree, he'll fall down. Now tell me, who is Justin?"

"My cousin," she said through tears. "He's next to Tony, we have to get him down."

Ana Lucia frowned when she overheard Sophie, and whispered to Nathan. He nodded and approached the tree. "Tony, can you…" Russ saw Nathan motion towards Justin's body, and he knew that they were trying to figure out if he was still alive.

"No, he's dead," Anthony said, without any tact. Russ was annoyed, but couldn't blame the man. It had been almost an hour and a half since they landed, during which he'd been precariously perched in a tree. "He's been dead since I landed here."

"NO!" Sophie screamed loudly. "No he can't be. Check again!"

"Get her out of here Russ," Ana Lucia said sharply. "She's not helping."

Nathan turned from his spot near the tree. "She just lost her cousin, Ana. Have some pity on the poor girl."

One of the tree branches cracked loudly, and the seats dipped. Anthony gripped the arms of the chair in fear. "How are you going to get me down from here?"

"Tony, I need you to unbuckle your seatbelt slowly," Ana Lucia called up. He followed her instructions. "You're going to lean forward, grab that branch- no not that one, the thicker one- and hold on. Then once the seats fall, you're going to climb down. Alright?"

"Got it!" Anthony shouted in reply.

"What about Justin?" Sophie asked softly. "What about him?"

"Well, there's not much we can do for him now, is there?" Ana snapped. Russ watched as Sophie's face crinkled up in tears, but the other woman ignored it. "You ready Tony? We'll do this on the count of three."

Russ wrapped an arm around Sophie's shoulder, giving her a squeeze. "One…" Ana said, and Anthony leaned forward ever so slightly, the chair starting to shake.

"Two…" Tony grabbed the branch it with the tips of his fingers. The seat was beginning to tip forward even farther when Russ saw it.

At first he chalked it up to the movement of the seat under Tony's weight, but he saw it again. A finger move, then his head. A blink of the eyes.

Justin wasn't dead, he'd just been unconscious. And as Ana counted down, he was beginning to come to.

Sophie saw it too. "Ana Lucia! Stop! Justin's ali-"

"THREE!" Ana shouted, and Anthony lunged out of the seat, sending the chairs to the ground. As Tony clung to the branch at the top of the tree, the seats fell to the ground. Sophie pulled away from Russ and ran to Justin, kneeling at his side. As he followed her, Nathan grabbed him by the arm.

"What was—"

"Justin wasn't dead."

Nate's jaw dropped in realization. "And Ana just ignored you two?" Russ nodded, and they both looked at their unofficial group leader with some disdain as she helped Anthony out of the tree.

"So…Soph…" Both Nathan and Russ fell silent as they heard the soft voice come from Justin. He was bleeding profusely from his head and his leg, body broken from the long fall from the top of the tree.

"I'm here JJ. We'll get you all fixed."

"Charlie… the plane and Charlie…" the man whispered, before his head lulled to the side. Sophie fell back onto her butt, holding her head in her hands as she cried.

"You three ready?" Ana asked, arms folded across her chest.

"He wasn't dead, Ana." Russ said sharply. A look of remorse and sadness passed over her face briefly. It faded, and she was back to frowning. "Give her some time to grieve."

"If we don't leave now, we won't make it back before dark. We don't know what's out here in this jungle. Let's move."

"Hey Sophie," Russ heard Nathan whisper behind him as he stared down Ana. He entirely disagreed with her behavior, but knew it was the right choice to go back to the beach. "Soph, if you want, once we're settled on the beach tomorrow, Russ and I will come back here to get Justin's body. How about that? We can make sure he gets a proper funeral once we get back to the states."

Sophie nodded, and stood shakily with Nathan's help. "Whatever you need Sophie, you come find me or Nate, got it?" Russ added.

"I got it," she replied, sniffling and wiping her tears away as they followed Ana and Tony out of the jungle.

O O O

_Shawn leaned down to pick up Christopher, wiping a tear from the little boy's eyes. "Aww, don't cry buddy!" he exclaimed. "Your mom's going to be alright, I just visited her at the hospital!"_

_Chris was so much older than he remembered him being. Last time they'd seen each other, he'd been maybe a year old, give or take. His eyes were dark blue and forlorn, his hair still dark as ever. He had the typical scars on his knees and elbows that came from playing at the park with his friends. _

_"Mom didn't want to be with me anymore. Just like my dad," Christopher said solemnly, his face forlorn._

_"Don't say that kiddo!" Shawn replied, shocked to hear the words coming from the little boy. "She's just sick. You're going to come stay with me, and Grandma and Grandpa. You probably don't remember them."_

_"There's a picture of them in our living room. You too, Uncle Shawn. Mommy used to talk about you all the time. She said you're a genius."_

_Shawn laughed. "I wouldn't go that far! Now, why don't we watch some TV while we wait for Gram and Gramps. Sound good?"_

_He didn't even have to ask. Christopher grabbed the remote control and turned on the cartoons. They settled onto the couch in Shawn's hotel room, with a bag of microwave popcorn he'd picked up from the front desk._

_There was a knock at the door. "Maybe that's them now! I'll be back Chris, alright?" There was no answer, as the boy was consumed in an old episode of __Jabber Jaw__._

_ "Hey mom and dad," he said as he swung the door open._

_It wasn't them. _

_"I'm here for my son, Shawnie," Brad said. _

_His former role model and hero looked gaunt, dark circles around his eyes. All the symptoms of withdrawal were there. Still he was tanned, and looked like the 'Rock God' that his ego had built himself to be. _

_"He was never your son Brad. Mom and Dad are on their way to Australia. He's coming home with us."_

_Brad pulled papers out of his pockets. "I went to the CPS woman when I heard about Ari. I didn't want to visit her… I thought it'd be too painful."_

_"For you or for her?" Shawn demanded, allowing his spite and anger toward his former brother-in-law out. "You caused her to do this, you ass. Why the hell would I let you take Chris? He doesn't know you."_

_"He doesn't know you either! I know Ari cut you out of her life. Isn't it better he come with me? I'm his dad!"_

_"Only because your sperm was in the right place at the right time," Shawn retorted, before remembering that the little boy was only a room away. "I doubt we'll ever see him again if he goes with you. And if we do, it'll be in a rehabilitation facility." _

_It was a low blow, and he didn't care. _

"_Shawnie, I have the paper work all filled out. Either you let Chris come with me now, or I get the police to take him from you. I don't want to do that."_

"_Why do you want him Brad?" Shawn asked. "You never wanted Chris before today. You trying to revamp your public image? Bring the Dead Aces back? Cause it's not because you care about him. You don't know the first thing about being a parent. At least with us, he'll be with people who love him."_

_Brad was clenching his fists and Shawn prepared to be punched. "Shawn, this doesn't have to turn into some international affair. Once Ari is better, she can have him back. Just… just give me a chance to get to know my son. Please."_

_Shawn sighed, feeling instinctively that this was the wrong move. He didn't trust Brad- hadn't trusted him since the day Christopher was born. Still, it was this or get the police involved, and Christopher didn't deserve that._

"_Hey Chris, come here!" he called. "I have someone for you to meet."_

O O O

"Just one more push," Katya said loudly. "One more, and you'll get to hold your baby!" Almost four hours had passed since the plane crashed, and the sky was getting darker. Down beach, Shawn saw a group of four or five were building a signal fire.

Lucy's face contorted in pain as she pushed as hard as she could. In that moment, Shawn decided that procreation was about to be crossed off the very short list of goals he had for this life.

There was a whimper, and then a loud wail. "It's a little girl, Lucy!" Ethan said excitedly. "You have a baby girl!"

She fell back onto the beach in exhaustion. Shawn watched as a look of fear passed over Ethan's face. "Lucy! Are you alright?"

"I just pushed a watermelon through a straw. Do you really want to ask that question right now? Let me see my baby!"

Ethan nodded, passing her the baby that was now wrapped in the button-down shirt he had been wearing on the plane. The baby was still needed a bath, but she had a mop of light brown hair, and bright blue eyes.

"Thank you Ethan," Lucy sighed as she looked down at the baby.

"Anytime," he replied. Shawn couldn't help but notice that he looked grieved. "Now let's get you moved down the beach where the fire is. It'll be warmer there. Shawn?"

He caught the sign that he should help, and helped him carry Lucy down the beach, Katya following close behind with the baby in her arms.

O O O

"Zack! Don't get to close to the fire, sweetheart!" Alice scolded gently. She didn't have the heart to yell at the boy after all they'd been through that day.

The signal fire burned brightly in the darkness. All twenty-five survivors were gathered close by, talking quietly or trying to sleep. JP, a remarkably sweet young man, was entertaining Emma with stories of his world travels. Now, for Alice, it was just a matter of keeping Zack occupied. She'd never really been the motherly type, but for the man called Eko, who had taken it upon himself to ensure that all the crash victims had been pulled ashore, she would gladly watch the boy.

Alice would have been dead if he hadn't pulled her out of that riptide.

Suddenly a large crackling noise filled the air. Mechanical noises filled the air, loud and resonant, and vaguely familiar. She'd heard this sound before.

"What is that?" she heard someone squeak.

"It sounds like a bulldozer or something," a man shouted. "You know, deforestation! There's life on this island besides us!"

"We didn't see anybody else on this island, you stupid hippie!" another voice chimed in.

One tree, two trees came crashing down, a flurry of leaves rising up over the island. The noise kept rising and rising.

Then it stopped.

Zack sat down in Alice's lap, and she started soothing the boy gently. JP and Emma moved a little bit closer to them, his eyes scanning the area around them carefully.

"Maybe it's time to get some sleep?" she suggested.

No one fought her decision.

O O O

Gavin Tesla felt something brush over his face in his sleep. He moved an arm to wipe it away, but it touched him again. More than a touch- it grabbed him.

Waking up, he saw a face covered in dark soot hovering over him. The firelight glinted in the man's eyes, making him look positively devilish. Even with only a quick glance, Gavin knew he hadn't been on the plane with them.

Suddenly he felt the man grab his wrist roughly, pulling him towards the jungle. "What the hell do you think you're doing!" Gavin shouted, trying hard to pull out of his grasp. "LET GO!"

"Gavin?" he heard Nathan shout out from his spot near where he was sleeping. "Holy shit!"

Gavin felt Nathan grab is leg. Screams were rising around the camp, and he saw others being dragged away. He saw one nearing where Aly, the girl who saved him, was sleeping. "Nate! Go help her! I'm fine!"

Instantly, Nathan had tackled the shapeless human who was about to grab Aly. Gavin didn't have time to watch anymore. He had to save his own ass.

"Alice! Alice where are you?" another man's voice rose above the ruckus.

Yanking down hard, Gavin managed to escape his kidnapper. The man lunged at him, but he dodged the attack. Struggling to stand, the stranger tried again, but fell almost two feet away. Eko, the soft-spoken African man had hit him hard with a rock.

Quiet once again reigned over the camp.

"Everyone around the fire. Now." Ana Lucia announced, a hint of deadly anger in her voice. "Is everyone accounted for?"

"They got Alice," JP said softly, one arm around each of the kids the missing woman had been charged to watch earlier in the day.

"The German man and the curly haired guy too," the man who'd introduced himself as Bernard the dentist added.

Aly entered the circle. "They got Nathan too," she said. Gavin felt his jaw drop. His best friend, his hockey teammate and beer chugging buddy was missing, taken by some mysterious human beings.

"We stay close together the rest of the night," Ana commanded. "Three people on guard duty in two hour shifts. Make sure they have something heavy to use as a weapon in case something should happen."

O O O

_Shawn's parents were less than pleased with him, making sure he knew that from the second he related his encounter with Brad. His father had been screaming and his mother crying since they found out. Not that Shawn really had any control whatsoever over the situation. It was give up Chris or deal with the police, and that was really the last thing the kid needed right now._

_The hotel room was quieter while everyone was out, something Shawn appreciated. He finally had time to think, to clear his head and come to terms with the events of the past few days. His mother was at the hospital, his father at the Sydney courts. Stretching, he sprawled across the bed to take a nap. It was all too much to handle._

_The phone rang. _Probably mom and dad, _he thought. _Please, God, don't let anything bad happen to Ari.

_"Hello?"_

_"Is this Shawn Davenport?" a woman asked softly on the other end of the phone._

_"This is he." The woman's voice was familiar. Convinced it was from the hospital, he prepared himself for the worst._

_"Shawn, you must listen to me very carefully. My name is Rebecca, and we have never met, but one day our lives will depend entirely upon each other. In exactly one day from now you will arrive in the place where I live, and you will make a decision that will affect the life of your family greater than any other in your past. Someday you will escape this place, but when you do, it will only bring death. You have to come back to this island."_

_Shawn was thoroughly freaked out. "What the fuck? Is this some kind of joke? Am I on Punk'd?"_

_"Shawn, go to your window. Outside in the street, you'll see a black minivan. If you look closer, you'll see there is a man inside with binoculars focused directly on your room."_

_Quickly, Shawn moved to the window, uncertain as to why he was following these directions. But just as she said, there was a black Chrysler minivan across the street from the hotel, unmoving but filled with people. "How did you know that?"_

_"I need you to just trust me. You have to come back to the island, Shawn. Your life depends on it. Mia's life depends on it-"_

_"Who the hell's Mia?" he shouted, getting scared._

_  
"Do you want to save Christopher?" the woman shouted, stunning Shawn into silence."That's what I thought. You need to leave that hotel room. You are in danger, but your parents and Ari will be safe. You need to be with your nephew, that's the only way you'll save him."_

_The line went dead. Shawn returned to the window without hanging up the phone, the dial tone blaring loudly as it hit the floor. The van was still there, only now the men were exiting it through the sliding door. They had guns in their hands, and fierce expressions on their faces._

_One man looked up, catching Shawn's eye. He quickly turned, whispering something to his friends. _

_He didn't wait to see what happened next. Shawn grabbed one of his duffle bags and started packing as quickly as he could. He took only what fit, and a wad of money from his mom's purse. She would understand. He would call her later and explain._

_Without even a second glance around the room, he bolted out the door and took the service elevator down to the first floor. Five minutes later, he was in a taxi to the airport. He was getting the hell out of Australia and finding his nephew. _

O O O

Ethan stormed into the jungle, feeling weary. He hadn't slept well on the sands, and the early morning dew had soaked through his sneakers, drenching his socks. The past day, the entire mission, had been extraordinarily different than he assumed it would be.

When Ben had sent him to the tail, he'd expected to find maybe five, six people tops still alive. Hell, the plane had crashed over the water! What was the likelihood that anyone would have time to escape as it sank? But no, there were twenty-five incredibly calm, self-sufficient survivors.

No, twenty-six survivors, because that sweet girl Lucy had given birth to her baby, a month and a half early, but still perfectly healthy.

A baby. Born on the island. It seemed impossible- it should have been impossible! As Ethan rushed through the jungle, he approached the first tree he saw and kicked it. Hard.

"It's not fair!" he shouted, fairly certain he was out of hearing distance of anyone. He kicked the tree again, feeling the pain rush through his foot.

His thoughts had been on his wife from the moment Lucy had said she was in labor. Though she and Ethan had always loved their adopted son, Sabine had wanted a baby of her own so badly. So had he, but he wasn't willing to risk her life. Sabine had saved him in so many ways, he couldn't risk losing her.

She hadn't told him when she volunteered for Juliet's experiments, and he never suspected that she'd stopped using birth control. Then the morning sickness had started, and the weight gain, and five months in she admitted she was pregnant. It looked like she stood a chance. Sabine would be the first woman to successfully bear a child on the island.

That had been shot to hell when the contractions had started on a humid, April morning. By the time evening rolled around, she was lying dead on a table in a cold, sterile operating room, blood staining every white surface that surrounded them. Try as they had, Juliet and Ethan couldn't save her.

"God damn! It's not fucking fair!" Ethan shouted again, tears of rage and long held pain filling his eyes. He was hardly a man to be overcome with grief, but in this moment he felt it worse than he had the day they'd sent her body to sea on the funeral pyre.

"Someone need anger management much?" Ethan heard a voice say, startling him. It was a very rare occurrence that he was taken by surprise- he knew these jungles better than most.

"Eric, what the hell are you doing here? Do you realize how close to the encampment you are? You're going to blow the whole mission!"

The wily teen snorted. "Like I care? I bet you don't even have a plan as to what to do with the ones that aren't good enough for Jacob and his lists."

"Don't you talk about him like that! What are you trying to do, get yourself killed with that lack of respect?"

"Don't baby me dad. Jacob can come down and talk to me if he has a problem with my attitude. Anyways, Ben sent me. Told me to apologize to you for jumping the gun on those kidnappings last night. Oliver and Sam were a little excitable, according to Ben. A little stupid, if you asked me." Ethan went to speak, but Eric kept talking. "Listen, Ben wanted me to tell you. That guy, Nathan? He's a good man. They may have taken him by accident, but he's the perfect candidate. Jacob is pretty damned pleased."

"What—"

"Later dad," Eric said, running back into the jungle just as Blair appeared.

"Ethan, what are you doing out here?" Blair asked, looking concerned. "Did something happen, are you ok?"

She was really a very sweet and peace loving woman, and Ethan always had a hard time believing that she was practically second in command of their little community. The woman wouldn't even shoot a gun.

"Everything's alright Blair. A woman on the beach, one of the survivors, gave birth to a baby this morning."

"A baby… and they're both still alive?" she asked in awe. "That's amazing. Did you add them to the list?"

"Of course I did. What about the people Oliver and Sam took?"

Blair frowned. "That woman, Alice, has some sort of connection to the island. Should be interesting to see if that plays out. Jacob likes her. Nathan, though… now he was a mistake. They weren't paying enough attention when he tried to protect Alison. We're trying to figure out what to do with him—wait, what's wrong now?"

"Eric said—"

"Eric? What was Eric doing here? He was supposed to be back in camp with Karl working on the runway." She looked puzzled and suspicious.

"Never mind Blair, I'll take care of it when I get home. Just keep an eye on him. A close one. I may have raised him, but he certainly doesn't love me like a dad."

"Ethan!" he heard Shawn shout, walking along the path.

He felt Blair pat him gently on the back. "It'll be alright, Ethan. You did as good a job as you could on your own. Sabine would be proud of you, we all know it. Now be careful and finish compiling your list. I'll be back again in two days. Got it?" She slipped back into the jungle, the soft pounding of her sneakers against the ground resonating in his ears.

"What are you doing out here, man? Libby sent me to find you, she was worried," Shawn's face was clearly worried.

"It's nothing. Just thinking about my wife this morning. She died a few years ago, when she miscarried in her second trimester. I stopped practicing medicine after that. Lucy made me think of her again, that little part I blocked out of my head."

Shawn looked embarrassed for having intruded. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize. I'll go back to the beach if you want."

Ethan felt bad for unloading on the teen. The kid just wanted to be helpful, and had been willing to get his hands dirty to help the other survivors. He was the kind of person he'd hoped to raise Eric to be. "Don't you worry about it, Shawn. I was just getting ready to head back to camp. Let's see if we can help Ana Lucia figure out a way to find Alice and Nathan."

O O O

"Oh dear lord, America come here!" Aimee Todd shouted to her roommate and fellow coworker at the FBI. Grabbing the remote control, she turned up the volume of the CBS Nightly News.

"What is it, Aim?" America asked, carrying a large ceramic bowl in which she had tonight's chicken dinner marinating in Italian dressing.

"A passenger plane disappeared somewhere in the Pacific. There's no trace of it anywhere, they can't even get a signal off the black box! Crazy, isn't it?"

On the screen, they started flashing pictures of notable passengers aboard the plane. Some actresses that she'd never heard of, the lead singer of that now B-list band Drive Shaft, and…

"NOT THE DEAD ACES!" America cried. Her pain sounded as if she'd lost a parent or sibling, and not the lead singer of her favorite band. "I was going to get tickets for the reunion tour!"

The phone rang and Aimee turned the TV down. "Can you go muffle your wails somewhere?" she asked. America stuck out her tongue as she returned to the kitchen. The CD player softly began playing heavy metal music.

"Todd. What can I do for you sir?" she said, recognizing her boss's number.

"We have a new mission for you and America. You head out in three days."

* * *

**Hey all! Thank you so much for your patience in the wait for this chapter. I hadn't expected quite the delay I experienced in writing it, but school kind of snuck up on me faster than I anticipated. Unfortunately, that has to come before writing, which sucks but is understandable! Thanks to all of you who messaged- you keep me on my toes, and it's great to know that you're all so excited about this story! **

**A huge thanks to everyone who read, and especially those of you who took the time to review: Northern Wolf, Hope, DiorNicole, PassionatelyPurpleParamoure, Son of Adam, HeroineInducedPanic, MoonlightGardenias, Charlotte, Lewis, AlexaGeorge-AKA-Jill-Pole, GuitarHeroLost, Golden-Black Dragon, GreenTeaHoney, and Elyad. Your words and encouragement mean so much to me, and I am so glad that I have not disappointed anyone in the portrayal of their character. **

**Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed the Tailies, as well as the sneak peek at the Freighties at the end of the chapter. Next time, we'll be returning to the mid-section, where we left some of our suvivors returning from following Danielle's signal, and Nicole and Boone searching for the man in the cockpit. Please leave a review and let me know what you think! Best wishes- Jac!  
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	7. Didn't Kiss My Mama Goodbye

**Disclaimer: Lost is not mine. Original characters belong to the fabulous authors that created them! Telletubies were created by Ragdoll Productions. Barney was created by Cheryl Leach. IPods belong to the Apple corporation. Snoopy was created by Charles Schulz. Edward Scissorhands was created by Tim Burton. Song title is taken from the song "Youth of the Nation" by P.O.D.  
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**Important Author's Note: I mentioned at the beginning of the story that I wanted to make changes to the Lost plot. My feeling is that, with the addition of the new characters, we will see changes in the behaviors of the old characters. It's been pretty subtle in past chapters- switching Goodwin and Ethan, Charlie not getting his heroin back. This chapter we're seeing a big change to the plot of Lost as we know it. Please bear with me- I know it's weird, but it will all come together as the story goes on! I promise! **

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Chapter 4

"_Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. But not knowing which to do is the worst kind of suffering."_

_-Paulo Coelho_

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_Natalie Black-Warner shut the heavy wooden door silently, leaning against it to catch her breath. Breaking and entering- this one was definitely a first. Feeling along the wall, she found the light switch and flipped it on. The room was dimly lit, the light fixture so old that it was speckled with the remains of gnats and flies. There was an overflow of filing cabinets, clearly labeled with month and year. Now just to find October 1991…_

_Bingo! On the bottom shelf of a green paint-chipped cabinet was a rusted over drawer. Grabbing the handle, Natalie tugged on the drawer, but it didn't budge. She pulled again, and the drawer emitted a loud creek, but still didn't move. _

_With a sigh, she grabbed the handle once more and yanked ever harder. So hard, in fact, that the rusted aluminum broke off, sending Natalie flying back into one of the other cabinets. That, in turn, knocked a precariously balanced pile of ceramic bed pans to the floor. They shattered loudly, covering the floor in debris. _

_Behind her, Natalie heard the door open and she groaned internally. She looked up to see a dark-haired doctor staring down at her in a mix of shock and surprise. Turning away from the scene, he shouted down the hallways, "SECURITY!"_

_"Here we go again…" Natalie mumbled._

O O O

Jack Shephard emerged from the medical tent, a frustrated and tense look upon his face. Sitting alone on the beach, just far enough to keep from being seen, Natalie watched him. His dedication to helping the survivors, and his courage… she couldn't help but admire him. She had made the conscious decision to mimic his bravery, especially around the kids that she seemed eternally doomed to babysit as long as she stayed on the island. Someone had to be strong for them.

As he reentered the tent, she saw Katherine briefly, sitting with the dying man, attempting to ease some of the pain he was feeling. There was no point in watching the scene when it would only serve to make her miserable, so she rose, wandering away.

"Nat, come get some dinner!" Mackenzie called. She sat near a fire with Claire, who was using her belly as a table for the airplane meal she ate.

Jogging through the sand, she sat in between the cheerful cousins. Within the makeshift tent, Lizzie was sleeping, occasionally babbling incoherently in her sleep about Barney and the Telletubbies. Claire passed her a tray. "Now you can help me interrogate my dear cousin," Claire said conspiratorially.

"What?" McKenzie yelped.

"Well, dearest cousin, it's not every day a girl is stranded on a deserted island with her music idol," Claire replied with a smirk. Turning to Natalie she said, "Kenzie is OBSESSED with Driveshaft. Like freakishly obsessed. Posters, concert shirts, the whole nine yards. And our dear friend Charlie, who's off gallivanting in the jungle, happens to be a member of the aforementioned band."

"Oh it's not that bad. It's just… well… Hey, Charlie's really nice," McKenzie replied, trying to be nonchalant.

"To look at," Claire interrupted with a devious grin.

Natalie smiled back at Claire. She was like the big sister she never had. Grilling McKenzie would be a fantastic way to get her mind off Jack Shephard.

O O O

"We will stop here for the night," Sayid announced to the group as they walked down the mountain. Ryan had been so focused on keeping his footing on the steep terrain; he'd barely noticed how the sky was beginning to darken.

"You kiddin' me Mohammed? You wanna stop here in the middle of polar bear paradise? What is this, some kind of new suicide mission Sadaam thought up?"

"Hey ! Cut it out!" Kate said sharply. "Sayid's right. It's better to stay here then to get lost in the jungle and eaten by who knows what's out there. Right Ryan?"

Ryan shrugged his shoulders. "I'd rather be safe on the beach. If we kept pace we could make it a little after nightfall."

"No way. I can't keep going like this all night. No way in hell," Shannon snapped from where she was seated on the ground, chest heaving and coughing. Ryan thought it might be real, but the blonde did seem to have a penchant for the dramatic.

Jason spoke up, carefully observing the area around them. "I know we're all on edge, guys, but it's better if we stick together. If we build a fire, that should scare any animals away, right? We should be safe here. C'mon."

Sawyer looked peeved, and Ryan couldn't help but be a little annoyed that the others were so willing to sit in the jungle. Still, Jason made a good point that they stick together. "I'll get some wood for the fire," Ryan offered walking to the edge of the jungle. He had to escape these people, even for a few minutes. He was a bit of a loner, and that didn't really bother him. He liked the silence.

Night fell quickly, and an hour later, the group of seven sat close around the fire where Sayid was explaining again where they were.

"The pilot said we'd flown six hours when the radios went out, and then started flying back for Australia. That puts us somewhere near Fiji. There are dozens of islands in the Pacific, some that have never been explored, and unfortunately no one knows that we had turned around. It could… it could be quite a while before rescue comes."

"Great, and we're stuck here on Craphole Island with the mysterious jungle beast. Life just keeps getting better," Shannon said, tossing twigs into the campfire.

"Don't worry luv, at least your stuck on Craphole Island with a genuine rock god," Charlie said with a grin.

"Rock god my ass," she snapped, and Charlie's face fell. "Can't they just find the black box or something? I mean seriously, with technology, finding us should be a cinch."

"They can't find the black box if they don't know where we are," Jason replied, looking up from the notebook he was writing in. "They'll be looking en route to Cali, where we should have been. Not where we actually were."

"Fuck," Ryan heard Sawyer mumble, though he pretended to be entirely uninterested.

Everyone fell silent, and Ryan stared into the fire. His brother Pete's wedding was in two days. Now his parents would be planning a funeral, the second they would hold for one of their children.

"Do we tell the others about the radio signal?" Jason asked.

"Absolutely not. We can't tear hope away from everyone," Kate said. "We need something to hold on to. I say we tell Jack, but leave the others in the dark."

On that point Ryan agreed. No use depressing everyone. He watched as the others nodded their heads in agreement- even Shannon kept quiet. Jason offered to keep the first watch of the night.

Conversation grew scarce as the others started falling asleep. Next to him, Jason kept writing. "You an author?"

"What?" Jason asked, so taken aback by the question that he slammed the book shut. He shook his head laughing. "God, I'm so fricken jumpy. Sorry, man. No, I'm not a writer. I've kept this journal since I was a kid. Who knows, after we get rescued, this could be one of those best selling memoirs."

"Like those soccer players in the Andes?"

"Yeah, except hopefully without the cannibalism," Jason shot back with a smirk. With a laugh, Ryan turned over and attempted to fall asleep.

O O O

The marshal moaned loudly, turning on the cot that Jack had fashioned from airplane seats and beach blankets. Katherine held a hand to his forehead, and drew it back quickly. She'd dealt with plenty of kids with fevers in her tenure at the clinic, but never had she felt someone burning up quite like this.

"Jack, his infection is getting worse," she said softly.

The doctor sighed, going through the drugs that McKenzie and the teenage girl had recovered while sorting the luggage. "Not a single antibiotic. You would think on a plane that big SOMEONE would have an infection."

"Put 'er in the cell, Trip. Lock 'er up for good," the man muttered as he tried to turn onto his stomach.

"Calm down sweetie. It's alright; we'll get you home soon. Your family will be so proud of you, for staying so strong." Katherine was beginning to lose hope for the man, but it wouldn't stop her from encouraging him. Experience had shown her that hope was sometimes the best medicine. The man's skin was a pale shade of yellow, yet another sign that he was septic.

"Don't let her get away. Pocket… jacket pocket…"

"Hold on, I'll look," Jack said, grabbing the suit jacket the man had been wearing on the plane. He pulled out a rumpled sheet of paper and unfolded it. His eyes grew wide as he looked over the information.

"Dangerous… she's… so… dangerous…" The man passed out again.

"Jack who's dangerous?" Katherine asked, nervous. She knew she should have kept Lizzie with her.

_God, what kind of mother am I? Letting her out of my sight, what was I thinking? We'll never be safe. Never. _

"It's… it's Kate," he stuttered in shock, holding the photograph. The pretty brown haired woman was holding a plate with her serial number on it in front of her. Her eyes looked entirely dead.

Katherine stood up and dashed out of the tent. "Where are you going?" Jack called.

"I'm… I'm sorry Jack, I can't be here anymore. I have to protect my daughter." As she walked toward the tent where she'd left Lizzie, she didn't turn back.

O O O

Nikole paused on the path, regaining her bearings. She knew they were close to the cockpit; it was just a matter of finding it. Boone stopped walking close by her, eyes darting nervously around the jungle. "Nikki, maybe we should go back to the beach camp. We can start again in the morning, when we have the full day."

Nikki didn't respond, too focused on reaching their destination. "Nikki, how much farther?" Boone asked, grabbing her wrist to get her attention.

She wrenched her hand away quickly, before she realized what she'd done. In her mind, she could only think of the feel of Jayce's hand on her wrist, slowly tightening his grip until the bones snapped.

"So…sorry. You scared me. The plane's behind that patch of trees. We're just about there."

Boone stared at her in confusion, but she ignored it, continuing to walk. Night was falling quickly, and the dense foliage of the jungle blocked out most of the remaining light. As she moved ahead, she heard him jogging to catch up, falling into pace with her. They climbed a small hill. From the top, Nikki stared down into the shallow ravine where the cockpit had landed.

Next to her, Boone gasped softly. The plane was still standing upright, though the window of the cockpit was broken out and covered with the pilot's blood. The corpse that had fallen to the ground lay face down and mangled in the leaves. The monster had feasted on that man as well.

"C'mon. Let's do this." Niki marched down the hill to the opening in the hull. She could still see the bodies strapped into the seats, the baggage hanging down from the overhead compartments.

"Want me to go first?" Boone offered. She had to give him props for being chivalrous.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I got it under control," she replied, using the seat closest to her to pull herself up. Never before had she been so grateful for the arm muscles she'd gained from years of volleyball practice. Determined, she climbed the inclined plane slowly, gripping the seats to keep balance.

Nikki reached the man's seat just as she heard Boone heave himself into the plane with a thump. "I'm in shape, and that was tough. How the hell did you get up here so fast?"

When she didn't reply, he spoke again. "Nikki—"

"Boone, he's gone. The seat is empty."

"What?"

Impatient, she decided to let him see for himself. She jumped out of the cockpit and started searching the area around the plane. "HEY! HEY! Are you still here?" she shouted loudly, hoping he hadn't crawled far.

"His name is Dmitri. I found his wallet," Boone shouted out of the

"DMITRI! Can you hear me? We're survivors of Oceanic 815! We're here to bring you to our camp!" Nikki shouted, walking deeper into the jungle. Boone was walking the opposite direction, shouting just the same.

She paused, trying to hear a response, when she realized the jungle had gone completely silent. No crickets, no animals, not even the monster's clicking. It was like she hadn't realized how noisy the jungle was until all the sound was gone.

Then it started. Whispers- and not just one voice, but several dozen- all around her babbling incoherently. She stepped farther into the jungle. "Boone? Dmitri? Sayid?" she called out, hoping it was a joke, hoping they'd run into the group with the transceiver.

"Nikki?" Boone shouted, grabbing her by the shoulder.

_This place is death…_ The words resonated through the air before silence fell again.

"Please tell me you didn't hear that," she muttered. The jungle fell silent again. "What the hell is going on?

Then the clicking started, louder than it had been during her first cockpit visit. She could hear the monster moving swiftly, getting closer to her and Boone.

"We gotta get back to the plane. We can hide in there," Boone urged. This time when he grabbed her, Nikki didn't resist.

O O O

_"Hey there Officer Walton!" Natalie said enthusiastically, relieved to be removed from the crowded holding cell. She hated crowds, and they knew it. "Oh come on, you don't have to drag me out, we're on a first name basis now. I can walk. Is Officer Cortez back on duty yet?"_

_"Why Natalie? You're a smart little girl, why do you keep getting yourself into trouble like this? It'll kill your chances of getting into college, you'll never get a job? Why throw your life away?"_

_Natalie didn't answer. He wouldn't understand- no one ever did. Not her parents, not her teachers, not even the arsonist that had been talking to her in the holding cell. _

_"And Officer Cortez is still out on leave…" He paused. "At least, I thought she was."_

_Natalie saw Officer Walton's partner leave the police captain's office looking frustrated yet victorious. She felt the policeman's grip on the back of her collar loosen as he approached his partner, giving her a brief hug. "What are you doing here Ana?"_

_"I'm back on duty Mikey. Finally. I was going stir crazy at home." The restless movement of Officer Cortez's feet as she shuffled back and forth on the floor was evidence enough to prove this. Natalie could tell she wanted back on the beat._

_"Are you sure you're ready for this?"_

_"Definitely. No more psych for me. I got the all clear. And what are you doing back here, Ms. Warner?" she asked turning to Natalie with a stern look. "Running away again?"_

_"No, hitting an all time low," Walton interrupted before Natalie could give her response. "Breaking and entering. We're going to talk to her parents and the captain now."_

_Officer Cortez shook her head, joining Walton in escorting her. "You gotta pull yourself together kiddo. Cause when you're not cute and young anymore, you're gonna be looking at hard time behind bars." _

O O O

Lying silently on the beach as night fell over her, Mia heard her stomach grumble. Loudly. In the firelight, she could see the others eating the last of the food from the plane- not that they realized it. She'd seen the worry on Lalah and Jay's faces as they distributed it among the survivors. It was that look that screamed: _This is it. _They thought she didn't realize, but Mia was observant. It was the benefit to being an outsider.

She wanted to eat something, but she couldn't bring herself to. Her mother had raised her as a vegetarian, and seventeen years of being taught that eating meat was a cardinal sin could not be thrown away lightly. So she passed on the turkey sandwiches, and let her stomach rumble. Unless…

_Where is that Asian guy? _She pushed herself up off the sand. Her dad, God rest his soul, had been good for one thing: the art of the con.

"Mia, sweetie, have you seen Nikole and Boone?" Lalah asked, passing her in the opposite direction. "Katherine said they never made it over to the hospital tent today."

"Nope," she answered swiftly, without even so much as a glance in the other woman's direction. "Not their babysitter. Maybe you should ask the Afro Princess."

"Watch your mouth," Lalah said, though she was just talking at Mia's back at this point. "Her name is Natalie, and she's been more help than you've been."

She spotted her target, sitting with his unhappy looking wife underneath the canopy of a tarp. "Hey! Hey! Asian guy!"

He didn't look up. She dragged her feat through the sand, attempting to look pathetic as possible. Who could possibly deny a poor, helpless, teenage girl food? Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to work up tears.

"Did… did you catch the fish today? Because I'm so, so, soooo hungry. And I can't… I can't eat meat!" Mia let forth a wail unlike no other, startling the other survivors. The Korean man barely looked up, except to stare, confused, at his wife. She could have sworn the woman smirked a little.

"Dude, you know he can't speak English," Hurley said.

_Duh. Good job Mia. _ It hadn't even dawned on her that he might not speak English. _Quick, cover your tracks. _

"Well could… do you think you could catch me some dinner?" Hurley stared at her like she'd grown two heads.

"I'll get you something Mia. I'm not a fan of airline food myself." She turned to see Goodwin climbing out of his little hovel.

"Thanks!" she replied with a sniff, wiping her tears away. He gave her a little salute, walking into the shallows of the water.

Mission accomplished.

O O O

"Jason!" the hushed whisper called. "Jason, over here!"

He peered around at the six castaways sleeping soundly around the campfire. There was no chance that they'd wake up. Tucking his journal into his pocket, he edged away from the camp towards the longer grass, where he found Blair looking exhausted, accompanied by Joshua.

"Weren't you supposed to come tomorrow?" he asked curiously. Blair rarely deviated from Ben's plans.

"Problems with the tail camp," Josh stated bluntly. "Sam and Oliver couldn't just follow their damned orders."

"How are the observations going? Do you have a list yet?" Blair asked eagerly.

He nodded. "I've got plenty written down, especially on the group I've been traveling with. Goodwin stayed back at camp, though I'm not sure how much help he'll be. I think he really thinks that he was on that plane. Acting like an idiot, introducing himself to everyone."

Josh's eyes narrowed in anger. "And what about you? How have you avoided notice?"

"I took on another passenger's name. Disposed of the body. They'll never know I'm not him. That good enough for you?" Jason could understand that Josh loved the island, and wanted only to protect it, but good lord he was sick of the guy's bullshit.

"Jason what's going on?" he heard a voice ask behind him. "Who are these people?" It was Kate.

Before he could make up an excuse, Josh grabbed Kate, covering her mouth so she remained quiet. She tried to fight him, but Josh was a huge man, built like a battleship. There was no chance of escape unless he wanted you to escape. And Josh never wanted anyone to escape.

"Is she a good one? Can we take her?" Blair asked. The other option was unspoken. To let her live after seeing Blair and Josh and not bring her back to the barracks would threaten the entire operation. Kate could reveal there were others on the island, putting Jason and Goodwin in danger. She would have to die.

Jason had grown to like Kate- she was smart and feisty, and her heart was in the right place. He wasn't going to throw her to the wolves. "Yeah, I'd say so. She's got potential. Don't hurt her. I'll figure out a way to cover it up."

Blair nodded, signaling that Josh should leave with Kate now. "Make it look like she ran away. You'll understand when you get back to camp tomorrow. Thank God for Kim Li, she's been doing some extra spying when she's bored. We'll talk soon."

Jason hurried back to the fire. No one else had stirred, thank God. He grabbed Kate's pack, took all the items that seemed like they would be of some use and tucked them in his own bag. As the remains of the bags burned, he kicked up the dirt and dropped the gun there; making it look like Kate had left in a rush. Once he was certain nothing looked to incredibly suspicious, he started shouting.

"KATE! Stop! Don't leave!"

Instantly, he heard the others start stirring, waking up. "What is going on?" Sayid demanded.

"Kate just… she just ran off into the jungle," Jason said, feigning shock. "She held me at gunpoint. Said she'd kill me if I tried to stop her. We have to go after her!"

Sayid stared at him suspiciously, as Ryan walked into the bushes to look around. "Why would she leave the gun after what we saw today? She's a smart woman."

"I don't think William Shakespeare over here bothered to ask. Not if he had a gun pointed at his face," Sawyer said as he picked the gun up off the ground. Annoying as he was, Jason secretly thanked the man for corroborating his story.

"Are we going to look for her?" Shannon asked.

"Not tonight," Sayid said. "We will return to camp, where we can form a proper search party. Now let's sleep while there is still time. It's a long hike tomorrow."

Though everyone's nerves were shattered, they did as Sayid said. Jason flopped back onto the ground, breathing a sigh of relief. "Hey, Jason. I found your book. Did Kate try and take it or something?" Ryan asked, as he returned.

"Dunno. I hadn't even noticed it was gone…"

OOO

"How long have we been here?" Niki asked softly as she woke up. She was sprawled across the compact toilet of the airplane bathroom. Her feet rested against the sink, her arms dangling at her sides.

The clicking had started again, softer this time. Whatever had been outside was moving farther away.

Boone looked down at his watch. "About nine hours now. How long is that thing going to wait for us?"

Nikki sighed. The stench of the slowly decaying corpses, which on quick visits to the cockpit was not all that noticeable, was overwhelming. Not to mention that someone had vomited in the bathroom during the flight. All in all, the smell was vile, absolutely vile, and Nikki was just about ready to throw herself at the mercy of the mysterious mechanical monster when the noise stopped.

"I think it's gone," she suggested.

"Why don't we give it some time? Half an hour, and if we don't hear it, we'll leave. And we're going back to camp, not on a missing person's hunt."

She sighed. She absolutely detested the idea of leaving the man behind, but Boone was right. "Fine."

"Hey. Hey, we'll try again," Boone said, shifting to face her and taking her hand. She didn't flinch. "We'll get a bigger search part. He's not a lost cause yet. Just because we're stuck sitting in the bathroom hiding from an invisible monster doesn't mean this trip was a failure. We know he's not here anymore, right?"

Nikki smiled. Boone might still be half a stranger, but she felt that with time she could trust him. "You're right. What's that under your leg?"

He pulled up a small Ziploc bag filled with white powder. He opened it, sniffed it, and then immediately shut the bag. "Somebody found their happy place before the plane went down. It's cocaine. I'd recognize the smell from any LA party."

The next half hour passed quickly as they whispered in the cramped bathroom of the plane. "You ready to face the monster?" Boone asked, opening the bathroom door for her. She nodded a yes. Slowly they made their way down the aisle, Nikki looking continuously looking around her for Dmitri. Finally, they reached the opening and jumped down.

The jungle was still, though one of the trees now lay across the ground. Hundred of leaves had fallen, forming a sea of green. And dead in the center lay a man moaning in pain. "Oh my God, Boone look."

They both rushed to the man's side. "Looks like you found him Niki," he said as he lifted the man up.

She stared intently into his face. "This isn't him. Boone, this isn't the same guy I saw on the plane."

O O O

"They're back!" The call rang out in the early afternoon. "They're back with the transceiver!"

Lalah felt her head instantly snap up. She hoped that Boone and Nikki were with them- they'd disappeared last night without telling anyone. After searching the outskirts of camp to make sure they hadn't snuck off to enjoy "Seven Minutes in Heaven"- after all, Lalah was still young, and understood what the first feelings of attraction could drive a person to do- she'd reported it to Jack. There was nothing else she could do for the night.

Sayid emerged from the jungle first, followed close behind by a thoroughly shaken Charlie and a completely silent Shannon. Sawyer meandered, attempting to look cocky, though Lalah could see even he looked worried. Jason and Ryan brought up the end of the pack.

"Did you get a radio signal?" someone called out. "Is help on the way?"

"Where's the rescue boat?" another woman shouted.

Sayid held up his hands signaling for the rest to be silent. Lalah admired his ability to command the crowd. He certainly had a way with people, much like Nandi did. _I hope she's back with the kids. I hope the kids are ok. Oh God, I hope they're alright…_

"The transceiver batteries did not work, but we will not give up hope yet!" Sayid started, standing on part of the plane that Ryan leaned on to keep steady. Lalah couldn't help but notice that all those who returned seemed to have gotten no sleep the night before. "We all came on the plane with cell phones, IPods. If we collect the batteries we can use them to make the signal stronger. Lalah- what is the situation in camp?"

She looked up in shock. People rarely ever asked for her opinion. "Well, food is running low. The airplane meals won't last much longer. And if we still can't contact the ship, we should probably start building some sort of shelter."

"Good!" Sayid exclaimed. "We will divide into three groups .The first will look for electronics- McKenzie, can you lead that? The next will start searching the jungle for food. I will leave that to you- what's your name? Yes, Michael. Alright, I need people to start gathering materials for shelters. Will you do that Hurley? Everyone knows what to do? Fantastic."

Sayid stepped off the plane. "Lalah, Jay, I need to talk to you!" he said. Lalah joined the two men.

"What's the matter?"

"Kate ran away when we were in the jungle. None of us can figure out why. She held Jason at gun point and ran."

"Maybe I can help?" Katherine asked, her daughter following close behind. "I… please don't spread this around camp; I don't want to be a rumor monger. But the three of you seem to have your heads on straight, and I think I can trust you not to spread this around. Kate is a convict. I saw her mug shot in the marshal's pocket yesterday night. Maybe she's afraid rescue will come?"

Lalah was sure her eyes were bulging out of her head. Kate, a criminal? She's been very helpful around the camp before she left, and very sweet. It didn't seem possible…

"That doesn't mean we should leave her to whatever's out there," Jay said. "Locke and I can search for her in the morning. It's not a problem."

Sayid turned to Lalah. "I was hoping you would talk to Jack. I feel like he's gotten to know her, and he'll take it hard. People respect you here, Lalah."

Lalah was surprised to hear that, but she couldn't refuse. "Sure, I'll catch him once he's done in with the marshal. I'm sure she's just scared. Once she thinks it through, she'll come back here. Don't worry too much Sayid."

O O O

_"What the hell were you thinking Nat?" she heard her father scream from the front seat of the car. They'd never been as irate as they were today. "Why the hell would do something so stupid?"_

_"You wouldn't understand," she muttered, gazing out the window at the LA traffic with her hands folded across her chest. All she needed was one simple answer, and they'd never have to worry about her running away again. Still, they refused._

_"Baby, why wouldn't we understand? We're your parents," her mother soothed._

_"Just because you signed some papers doesn't make you my parents!" she shouted, wanting to make it hurt. The worst part was, she knew that they didn't deserve this at all. Shana and Russ had been nothing but good to her. "Why won't you tell me their names? I just need some sort of closure"_

_"We've gone over this half a dozen times, Nattie. No. If you still want to know their names when you're eighteen, fine, we can't stop you. But for the time being you're just going to have to deal." Her father's voice was firm, clearly indicating that the conversation was over._

_Folding her arms against her chest, she sat sulking for the duration of the ride home. This wasn't over. It was far from over. _

O O O

"Natalie!" The teenager looked up from where she was sorting cell phones from CD players to see Brad flailing his arms in the late afternoon sun, Chris dragging behind him. "Can you watch Chris for a bit? Thanks!"

The long haired man walked away without waiting for a response. _Oh sure, I had nothing else to do than to babysit your stupid kid! Jesus! _Chris played quietly in the sand as she fumed, not even paying attention to his dad walking toward Claire. _The man pays more attention to the woman with child than he does to his own child. _

A long, loud wail emerged from the tent where Jack was working, instantly grabbing both of the kids' attention.

"Natty, why does that man keep shouting?" Chris asked. "Lizzie's only two, and she's being real good 'n' quiet. Why doesn't he follow the rules?"

_Great, now I get to explain death. Can this day get any better? _Taking a seat next to the boy, she said, "He's really sick, Chris. The doctor is trying to help him, but sometimes it hurts a lot."

"Like my mommy? She got sick, and that's why I'm living with my dad. I don't really know him, but my Uncle Shawn said he's the coolest guy ever." The little boy leaned in here, as if he had the greatest of secrets. "I don't think my dad's all that cool though. He likes girls, and they're yucky. Except for my mommy. She's the prettiest."

The man in the tent screamed again. "Hey, why don't we find Hurley? I think he has a comic book or two."

"Oooh! Is it Snoopy? I love Snoopy!" Chris shouted in delight.

"We'll see," she said as she took his hand. He stumbled through the sand, half pulling her down, but Natalie found that it really didn't bother her. She waved and smiled at some of the other survivors who were starting to build their own shelters.

"HELP!" she heard someone shout. "Somebody give us a hand!"

Natalie recognized the voice of one of the men who helped build Claire's shelter- Boone or something? As he came into view from deep within the jungle, confirming her thought. The volleyball girl was with him, helping to carry an unconscious man. "

"Where have you two been? What were you thinking wandering off alone?" Lalah demanded, reminding Natalie of her own mom.

"We'll explain later. He needs help," Boone gasped as Michael and John Locke took him off their shoulders.

"Who is he? Where did he come from?" Jay demanded, trying to get a good look at the man's face.

"No clue," Niki replied. "C'mon let's get him to Jack."

Katherine approached the group, carrying Lizzie on her hip, her face looking torn. "Hold on, I'll come with you. Jack can't handle two patients at once."

"NATTIE! CARTOON TIME!" Chris shouted, splitting her eardrums. At that volume, how could she deny his request?

O O O

"Hey Jack!" Brad called out, approaching the hospital tent.

"What's up?" Jack asked, stepping outside. He looked entirely exhausted. A short distance from the tent, Katherine was tending to the man Boone and the girl had found in the jungle.

"Listen, do you need any help. I know I'm not a doctor or anything, but I hate feeling useless. Anything at all, just let me know. I'm goin' stir crazy."

"Bodies make you queasy?" Jack asked. He shook his head, indicating the negative. After all the time he'd spent in the hospital, he'd seen his share of dead overdose cases. "I need someone to go into the fuselage and search the bags there for any antibiotics. Anything sort of medicine that ends in 'illan.' It'd be a huge help."

"Sure dude, no problem!" Brad replied. "I'll be back in a bit."

Climbing into the destroyed jet, he couldn't help but notice how dark and silent it was. The sun was just starting to set, but within the fuselage it seemed like night. The smell was pungent. The overhead compartments were opened wide, bags hanging down at odd angles, swinging in the nonexistent breeze. It was an otherworldly experience, like one of the acid trips he'd endured years ago.

"Well ain't Edward Scissorhands himself. Didn't expect to find you in here trick-or-treatin'. Though I guess it makes sense."

Brad jumped in surprise, but slowly it dawned on him that it was the rude Southern hick that had sat in back of him and his son on the plane. "How dare you come in here and loot? It's disrespectful to the dead, that's what this is."

"Then what are you doing in here?"

"Jack needs antibiotics. I'm looking for them," Brad explained, impatient. He hated being delayed in his work.

The man smirked. "You sure you ain't searchin' for something else Slick?"

"What would that be?"

The man laughed. "Don't think I don't recognize you. You're that singer in the Dead Aces. I saw the pictures of you in the paper, when you OD'd. Face down in your own vomit. So what are you really lookin' for? You got a stash on this plane?"

Brad pushed aside the urge to punch him. The man had already had his ass handed to him by Sayid the day before. "Listen, man. I've been clean for a good half a year now, and I intend to stay that way. So let me find the antibiotics."

"Whatever you say Slick. I'll be here when you decide to start telling yourself the truth."

Quick as he could, Brad searched the bags and grabbed all the medication he could find. He'd hoped he'd be able to leave his past indiscretions behind him. Rehab had been long and painful, but he was working towards being better. Even on this deserted island, people were beginning to connect the dots.

As soon as he dropped the medication off with Jack, he started looking for something else to keep him occupied. Anything to have to keep him from thinking about the past.

O O O

_"G'night mom!" Natalie shouted, pulling her puffy hair into a ponytail. "I love you!" She knew it wouldn't make up for yelling at her parents in the car, but it was most definitely a start. _

_"Nattie, come here," her mother said softly. She sounded choked up. _

_"What's wrong mom? Is Dad ok?" She took a seat on the sofa, and saw a pile of yellowing papers in her mother's lap. "What are those?"_

_"Did you know I used to be a photo journalist? Right after your dad and I adopted you, I stopped working so someone could be home. But I used to take amazing pictures."_

_"You still do mom," she said. The enlarged photo of the sunset on the Oregon coast was a testament to that fact. _

_"Your father and I said we'd never tell you. We tried to keep it a secret that you were adopted, I'd hoped it never seemed like we treated you differently. You know we love you right?" Natalie had never seen her mom this self-conscious._

_"You didn't mom. Seventh grade biology, we learned genetics. Two blondes can't have a brunette, mom. The options from there were few and far between."_

_"Your mother's name was Charlotte Ames. She lived in LA her whole life. She was a third grade teacher. I met her once, she had hair just like yours. Absolutely wild." Her mom smiled softly. _

_Natalie was shocked to hear her mother say the words she'd been waiting to hear. "Why didn't she want me?" _

_"It wasn't that she didn't want you, sweetie. There were complications… she only lasted a few days. She was a good woman. You should be proud she's your mother."_

_"And my dad?" Natalie pushed as disappointment filled her. She would never meet her real mom. _

_"I… Charlotte didn't speak much about him. He didn't know she was pregnant. He was at the funeral- I got a picture of him, real quick."_

_Natalie smirked. "You brought a camera to a funeral, mom?" _

_She smiled back. "One of the local papers was doing a story on the skyrocketing cost of funerals. They needed a good photo; I was in the right spot at the right time." She handed Natalie the photo. "That's him right there. His name is Jack…"_

_Staring back out at her was the doctor that had called security on her mere hours before at the hospital._

O O O

Natalie had to laugh at the irony. Twenty-four hours later, she was basking in the sunset, sitting in that same spot on the beach, watching Jack's movement within the hospital tent. He moved with the same precision, though the dying man's moans had mostly subsided. Death was close, she could feel it instinctively.

She watched as Lalah gently called Jack's name, pulling him out of the tent to talk. They began walking down the beach, though he kept stealing glances back at the tent.

_Maybe I could watch over the man while he's gone,_ Natalie thought. _He'll be so impressed with me, being helpful._ Determined she entered the dimly lit tent.

The man moaned softly. "Shh, it's alright. You'll be on the mend soon," she soothed. She took a seat on the ground, deciding only to interfere with the man's care if it looked like he went downhill. She didn't want to cause him any unnecessary pain.

Ten minutes passed, she sat waiting for Jack to return, when he started tossing and turning. She saw a poorly constructed basin of water with a stained brown rag in it. She squeezed most of the water out and pressed it to his forehead.

The man stilled briefly, and Natalie smiled in satisfaction, knowing she'd helped ease his pain. Everything in the tent was still, and she thought for a second that maybe he had died.

Suddenly, hands were wrapped around her throat tightly, constricting her airway, making it impossible to breathe. She started kicking her feet, whimpering, trying to attract anyone's attention. The flap of the tent pulled open and Jack stepped in. He pried the man's hands off her, and she fell on to the ground, rubbing her throat.

"What the hell were you thinking, kid? Get out of here. You should be over with Claire and McKenzie and the other kids! God damn," he muttered once his tirade was completed. "He's dehydrated."

Angry, Natalie didn't volunteer to get any water for him. Jack ran past her, back towards the supply base. She paused in her walk, looking out over the ocean. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. Her dad was supposed to realize she was his daughter. To see what little resemblance they shared. Everything was going wrong.

"If nobody else is willing to do this, then I'm damned well going to do this myself," Sawyer muttered, storming up the beach past Natalie. "You better cover your ears little girl," he warned.

She turned to watch him, confused. What was he willing to do?

Sawyer entered the hospital tent. Moments later, a gun shot rang out through the night, causing Natalie to jump. She sprinted towards the tent, as did Katherine, who had been taking care of the jungle man. "What happened?" Katherine asked.

Sawyer stepped out of the tent. "I put him out of his misery. Somebody had to step up. Couldn't let the poor boy go on dying for days."

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO!" Jack shouted as he arrived back at the tent. "You killed him!"

Suddenly, a liquid-filled gasp was heard, followed by a gurgle. Natalie felt herself cringe. "Oh Nattie, you need to get out of here," Katherine said.

"Did you shoot him in the head?" Jack asked.

"No the heart," Sawyer snapped back.

"God damn!" Jack muttered, running into the tent. Moments later a loud snap was heard, then silence.

O O O

Alice woke up on the down mattress to the smell of bacon and eggs cooking. Nervously, she wrapped a robe around herself and walked out of the room she was sleeping in. She was still suspicious of the people who had kidnapped her on the beach. A day or so ago, she'd thought she'd seen Nathan- she was certain he'd been kidnapped too- but now he was gone. Last night there had been a ruckus outside. She didn't feel like she could trust a single person among them. It was disheartening, and made her feel isolated.

"Hey Alice!" Kim Li said as she passed her. The pretty, young Chinese girl was wide awake that morning.

"Hi," she said back softly. _Real nice there Alice. You're a freekin' archaeologist. Show that you have at least some courage to you. Run away or something._

"Senna! Alice is up!" Kim Li called to her roommate. "Make her a plate too!"

The walls of the house were bare, and outside, there were few, if any, distinguishing signs as to where she was. How had they not noticed there was a whole community living on the island?

"Listen, I know how freaked out you must be right now," Kim Li said. "But trust me when I say this. We're good people here, and you're a good person too Alice. I can sense these things. I know it'll be hard to adjust, but I think you'll find you love it here. I know I do."

Alice didn't really care what would come in time. Right now, all she wanted to be home with her mum and dad, safe and in the real world.

* * *

**As always, I'm starting this off with an apology for the delay in getting this written. I've been traveling on grad school interviews, which is taking a toll. I'm off on another trip tomorrow, with my notebook in hand to start writing the next section! **

**Thanks to all those of you who took the time out to read and review: Lostlova815, selenehekate, Ciboulette, OutTheClosetAndNeverGoingBack, Northern Wolf, GuitarHeroLost, AlexaGeorge-AKA-Jill-Pole, Hope, GreenTeaHoney, DiorNicole, Son of Adam, Golden-Black Dragon, Charlotte Lewis, Elyad, and HeroineInduced Panic. You're all fantastic, and I love reading your critiques and comments! **

**So yes, Kate is now amidst the others. Who will be stepping up into her place in the midsection camp? And how will that change what happens in Walkabout? Find out in the next installment! Best wishes! Jac  
**


	8. Aching For Breaking Each Vow

**Disclaimer: Lost does not belong to me. Original characters belong to the fabulous authors that created them. The wonderful Diornicole gets all credit for the line about Xanax- it made me think so much of your character, that I couldn't not include it! Spongebob Squarepants was created by Steve Hillenberg. Lizzie McGuire was created by Terri Minsky. Jimmy Neutron was created by John A. Davis. Chapter title comes from the song "Who's Sorry Now" by Connie Francis. **

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"_People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war, or before an election."_

_Otto von Bismark_

_

* * *

  
_

"Ryan! Ryan get up!" Groggily, Ryan turned over in the sand, covering his head with the red cotton hoodie he was using as a pillow. The whispering reminded him of his mom on school mornings, trying to rouse him out of bed.

"Ryan get up, pleasssssse!" the voice sounded nervous, verging on scared.

Opening his eyes, he saw Natalie standing above him, her frizzy hair flying in all directions. "What's the matter kiddo?"

"I hear noises in the plane. There's something alive in there," she whispered, her voice quivering.

Sitting up, he ran a hand through his short brown hair. "You sure it isn't Sawyer? He's been creepin' around in there lately."

"No I checked his tent, he's still asleep. _Please _go check Ryan! I won't be able to sleep. It might be polar bears again."

"Sure, I'll check it out for you," he replied, standing. How could he refuse? The kid was entirely on her own, and not even old enough to drive. Someone had to look out for her.

He only hoped that she was wrong about the polar bears.

As he walked carefully around the sleeping survivors, he finally heard snorting and the clamp of hooves against the metal siding. Others were starting to wake up, panicking. Walt's dog was barking loudly, running back and forth on the leash that the boy clutches. A woman screamed, and he wasn't surprised to see it was Shannon.

_Don't freak out, Ry… just don't freak out…_

A hand clamped down on his shoulder and he jumped. _Real smooth…_

"We'll go in together," Jack said. Behind him was Sawyer, waving a flashlight around, and Charlie. Quietly they climbed into the plane. Sawyer shone the light down the aisle. Two sets of bright eyes reflected back at them. Hooves pounding, the animals charged at them.

"RUN! EVERYONE MOVE!" Ryan shouted. When Jack didn't move, he yanked him by the arm, pulling out of the plane with him.

He ran as fast as he good, grabbing Natalie and guiding her out of the animal's path. Those survivors that had been brave (or dumb) enough to follow the investigators followed close behind, helping each other move. The animals jumped out of the fuselage and sped through the camp.

As he moved up the beach, Ryan felt his blood rushing, losing his breath. Finally, he saw the three black figures dart into the woods.

"What were those?" he heard Jason ask from somewhere in the dark.

"Boars," Locke said. "I believe, folks, our food problem has just been solved."

O O O

A stranger in the jungle. Wild boars. Polar bears. As she made her way back to the shelter of debris and waterproof jackets that she had built with Sayid's help, she was afraid to wonder what could possible come next. Mysterious deserted island- no way she was joining their fan club.

"Hey Lalah, mind coming up to the first for a few minutes? I want to run something by you," Jack asked.

Though she desperately wanted to sleep, she knew whatever Jack had to say must be of some importance to the camp. "Sure, you heading up there now?"

"Nah, I gotta grab Sayid. Give me a minute, okay? Katherine's already over there."

Taking a seat by the fire, she saw Katherine gazing intently at the tent where her daughter was sleeping with Claire, Mackenzie, and the rest of the kids. Michael was still awake outside, keeping watch over the camps most vulnerable survivors. "

"Everything okay?" she asked the young mother.

"What… no everything's fine. I'm a bit… alright, a lot overprotective of Lizzie. We've been going through a rough patch since her dad walked out. It's been scary, I can't convince myself to let go."

Lalah nodded, realizing there was much more to this story than Katherine was saying.

"I know it's tough. My wife and I have three- all adopted. It's tough to let go, but sometimes you just have to. I know we're all still strangers, but it looks like we're going to be stuck here together for a while. The only thing that'll get us through this is trust."

"I know," Katherine sighed, tossing another log onto the fire. "It's gonna take some time for me, but I'll find a way to make it work." She smiled nervously, and Lalah once again wondered what made had happened to make her this way.

Five minutes passed, and Jack returned with Sayid. "What's the matter?" Katherine asked.

"I wanted the three of you to be here, because I feel like you are the three that everyone in camp seems to trust and look up to. I'm really gonna need your support on this, cause I have a feeling this decision will be real unpopular. The bodies in the plane are starting to smell, it's what is attracting the boars. And if we're not careful, pretty soon it'll be the polar bears. We need to take care of the bodies."

Lalah felt her eyebrow rise. "There are at _least _twenty bodies in there. How are we going to bury them all?"

"We're not," Jack said. "We're going to burn the fuselage."

"What!" Lalah gasped.

"I cannot support that," Sayid stated seriously.

Katherine remained silent, thinking, as Jack frowned. "I wasn't asking if you wanted to burn the fuselage. I'm saying we have to. There's no practical way to take care of the rest of the bodies. I wanted to let you three know, first out of respect to your positions among the other survivors, but second because I will need your help in convincing the others."

"They're still people," Sayid insisted. "They have families, religions. How can we ignore what they would have wanted?"

"Is it better to let them get eaten by wild boars?" Katherine chimed in. "I agree with Jack. We should burn the fuselage tomorrow night. I know this sounds awful, but if we do it at night the fire can serve as a signal light. It'll be huge- it would be impossible for any ship to miss it."

Lalah sighed. Jack and Katherine made excellent points, but she hated the idea of just burning those who remained behind. Clearly someone else had the same idea, because Mackenzie stepped into the firelight. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help but overhear. Maybe we could do a memorial ceremony for those who died? We have all their travel documents from their luggage, we can use that. Just a little ceremony, you know?"

"Then it's settled," Jack announced. "We'll have to organize a group to collect wood tomorrow."

And though she tried to help around the camp, Lalah knew that was one task force she would decline from joining.

O O O

_"Moooooom! Mom, mom, mom, mom, mooooooooooooommyyyyy!" Lalah heard her youngest, Madden, screaming. Feet were pounding on the stairs. _

_"Babe, can you take care of it? I'm trying to detangle the luggage up here!" Nandi called, her voice muffled. Half her body was in the attic, the other half precariously balanced on a ladder. _

_"I've got it!" she called back, dropping the business suite she was folding. A wail came from the foot of the stairs._

_"Aw, Madden, baby, what's the matter? Tell mama what happened!" she said, picking the little boy up and bouncing him. _

_"MALIK TURNED OFF SPONGEBOB AND I HAD THE TV FIRST!" he cried. "AND PLANKTON TOOK OVER THE KRUSTY KRAB!" _

_Lalah rolled her eyes at the triviality of the problem, but she still couldn't help but smile. Someday, she and Nandi would be looking back at these days and laugh. _

_"Okay sweetie, let's go talk to Malik."_

_She carried Madden up the stairs to the den where the television was located. As she walked, Mkabayi stuck her head out of her bedroom. "Mom, make the boys shut up. I'm trying to do my homework. Mrs. Morton gave us a ton of work tonight. Seriously, ginormous amounts of homework," she said dramatically. _

_"Oh really, what do you have to do?" Lalah asked her._

_"We have to write…" Here, she inserted a dramatic sigh. "Twenty-three sentences with our spelling words. It's absolute torture!"_

_"Close your door, Mkabayi, then you won't hear them. And if that doesn't help, you can use my office, okay?" _

_The slamming door was the only response as the little girl hurried back to her homework. Lalah wasn't stupid- she knew that there was a new episode of Lizzie McGuire on that night. _

"_Now, shall we talk to Malik?" she asked Madden._

_Four hours later, just after the kids had been settled in bed, Nandi sank down into the seat on the couch next to Lalah. "Do you think my mom'll be able to handle them?"_

_Lalah laughed. "You're mom survived raising you, dearest. I think she can handle anything."_

"_Hey!" Nandi shouted jokingly. "Not fair!"_

_Lalah kicked her feet up onto the coffee table. "But really, they'll be fine. We'll only be gone a week. We'll just finish the deal with Mr. Widmore's associate, play the requisite round of golf with drinks, and head home. Your mother will be fine."_

_Nandi smiled. "You know, you always know exactly what to say. Every time. That's why I love you."_

"_I love you too, Nandi," she said, giving her wife a gentle kiss. This was how family life was supposed to be. For the first time in her life, Lalah could say she was wholly content. _

O O O

Kate blinked, her eyes adjusting to the bright morning light. She was sleeping on the hard ground, not the sand of the beech. _What happened? Why does it feel like a freighter hit me?_

"Race you Kit!" a girl shouted.

"PEYTON STOP!" she heard a boy shout. "I want to wait for Alex."

Squeals filled the air as the girl stopped her bicycle she was riding. From her position on the ground, she didn't recognize either teenager- neither had been on the plane.

"We always have to wait for Alex. Karl wouldn't go anywhere without her, and now it's you and Eric who won't breathe without her permission! Would the three of you just man up? She's hooked on Karl, and she'd not gonna be back to normal 'til he comes back. Jesus, does the whole freekin' male population of this island revolves around Alex?" the girl lamented, shouting.

"Uh… yes?" the boy called Kit replied hesitantly. "C'mon don't be this way!"

"I _hate_ men. Well, when your girlfriend shows up, let me know. I'm not making _my _plans around her. Have fun waiting."

The red bike sped away, down a hill into a heavily misted jungle. After a second, the boy followed, shouting Peyton's name. _Who are they? _Suddenly, the events of the previous night rushed back to her. Jason talking to the two strangers, being dragged through the jungle with her eyes concealed, being knocked unconscious by something large and heavy.

"Good morning!" a cheerful voice greeted her from outside- a cage? These people had trapped her in a person sized cage like animals in the zoo. Kate wanted to scream, to run, to somehow warn her friends back at the beach camp.

"I wouldn't do that!" the woman said, an edge present in her voice as she seemingly read Kate's mind. "I'm sure this makes no sense to your right now, but you'll just have to believe me when I say that we are the good guys. And if we find you're good as well, you can stay with us."

Kate rose, moving to the bars of the cage to face the blonde woman outside, anger filling her. "I don't want to stay with you. I want to go back to my people on the beach! And why didn't you help us? There was a plane crash, in case you didn't notice. People were dying, why the hell didn't you come? How can you call yourself good? And another thing, what if I don't measure up to your standard of good? What then?"

"We'll deal with that when the time comes," the woman replied placidly, passing a crude bowl through the bars "Now, I brought you some breakfast. If you need anything just ask for me. My name is Blair."

O O O

Mackenzie stepped out of the hut into the blaring sun, still tired. Nothing like a conveniently timed boar stampede to destroy a perfectly good nap on the beach. From their little hut on the beach, she, Claire, and Natalie were in the beginning stages of planning the memorial service.

When Jack, just over an hour ago, had announced that they would be burning the fuselage, there had been murmurs of protest and anger. Some who had lost friends and family were not keen on burning the bodies without a burial. Others just felt it a lack of respect, and some seemed to think that rescue was imminent. But when Lalah and Katherine had stepped up to his side and urged the others to really consider it, consider the implications of allowing the bodies to roast further in the sun, a consensus was reached and a small group detached to collect wood.

"Good morning, my Texstralian beauty!" she heard a distinctive British accent call behind her. She turned to see Charlie smirking.

"Texstralian?" she asked, curious.

"Well, you said you were born in Texas, but you were raised in Australia. Ergo, you are a Texstralian."

She grinned. Not everyone got to meet the man whose picture graced their grade school trapper-keeper. Charlie was fantastic in every definition of the words, and though their situation was less than ideal and quite tragic, she couldn't help but admit that she enjoyed her time with him. Excessively.

"What's up Charlie?" she asked, wondering why he was wandering around. He had excused himself early last night, saying he felt sick. Even now he looked ill.

"Heard you and Claire were planning a memorial service when they burned the fuselage. I was wondering if you needed an extra set of hands. I'm not really that useful anywhere else…"

"You know you're always welcome in our tent, Charlie. Claire and Natalie are sorting through passports now. I was just going to head over to the fuselage and see if there were any bags left it there. You're welcome to join."

"Lead the way, milady," he said with a charming smirk. She rolled her eyes, but secretly, Mackenzie was more than happy to have the company.

O O O

"Jay, right? May I borrow you for a moment?" Sayid asked, huddled over a brown crate near the fire. A pile of electronic equipment was before him.

He glanced quickly at the jungle. Jay had wanted to start out early searching for Kate, and when he spoke to John Locke, he seemed more than ready to help. But Locke hadn't been seen all morning, and it would soon be too late for any useful search effort.

"No problem Sayid," Jay replied. "What needs to be done?"

"Hold that wire down, about a centimeter from the end, and do not move." Jay did as he was told, examining the Iraqi man as he worked. A second, thin metal wire was in his hand, held over the signal fire.

"What are you doing?"

"Making an antenna. If we solder these wires and place it up high we can find the source… well, if there is any source of radio transmission on the island," Sayid replied, focusing on the objects in his hand.

"What makes you think there's a radio tower here?" Jay questioned, suspicious. The group that came down the mountain the day before had been relatively quiet, with the exception of informing them of Kate's running away. Yet, somehow, they all seemed spooked by some mysterious event.

"During World War II, many of these Pacific islands were used as bases for marine assaults. It is a long shot, but they may have left something behind. We must take a chance."

Jay nodded in agreement, but in his mind he was thinking about Sayid's stumble when speaking. Somewhere, the group that had climbed the mountain had heard a radio transmission. And he was determined to—

"Git away from my bag, Slick!" he heard a thick, southern accent shout, interrupting his thoughts.

"You're hording what's left of the God damn food, you fucking hick. My son is hungry, there's a pregnant woman on the beach with no food, and you're sitting in your damned tent with a bag of peanuts," Brad shouted, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw him rush Sawyer.

_Not again…_ Jay thought. There were too many damn alpha males on this beach. He was glad he'd decided to take a step back and take on the characteristics of his undercover personality, Elliot Fox. Between Brad, Jack, Boone, and Sawyer, they already had enough half-assed leaders.

"Shall we go take care of this?" Sayid asked.

"Lead the way!" Jay said. The two jogged up the beach, and saw Michael and Hurley pulling Brad and Sawyer away from each other.

"What's going on?" Sayid shouted, standing between the two men.

"He's hoarding food," Hurley stated.

Brad continued, angrily. "All the stores from the plane are completely gone except for the peanuts he's got hidden in his tent. And I'll be damned if I let this asshole eat when the kids and Claire are going hungry."

"There has to be food left somewhere," Sayid stated calmly. "Are you sure-"

"What, you think I'd start a fight like this if I wasn't sure? Hell yes, I'm positive. So unless you have a solution, Sayid, would you kindly let me continue beating the shit out of this asshole?" Brad rushed forward, knocking Sawyer down, into the tent.

A loud _swoosh _ rang through the air, and a knife sank deep into the wood that held up Sawyer's tent, just inches above the heads of the two fighting men. "No need to fight," the man called Locke said, as he walked forward to dislodge the weapon.

"I thought they banned those from planes when they banned ninja stars," he heard Nikki whisper to Boone behind him.

"I checked these," Locke said, seeming to know what everyone was thinking before anyone dared to ask. "I was on a walkabout in the Australian outback, they came in pretty handy. You all can fight all you want for a couple of bag of peanuts. But eventually they're gonna run out."

"So what do you suggest we do?" Jay asked.

"We hunt," he said with a grin. "Those boars couldn't be living too far from our camp, now, can they? I'll need two volunteers to help me, no experience necessary."

_He's still missing… I could look for my partner, and for Kate. _

Jay stepped forward. "I'm in!"

"Me too!" he heard a woman say. He turned to see Lalah volunteer as well.

O O O

_"It's been a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Richards," Lalah said, shaking the man's hand firmly. "And give your wife and son the best for both of us."_

_"It's been great working with you. And best wishes to your family as well. Someday we'll all have to meet back in the states, and Corey can meet your kids. I'm sure they'd get along splendidly." Saying goodbye to Charles Widmore's business associate, Lalah and Nandi returned to their hotel room._

"_You know we really need to bring the kids here someday," Nandi said as she sprawled across the king sized bed, allowing her golf clubs to fall onto the floor with a crash._

_"They're going to complain about us you know, with all that racket," Lalah warned, sticking her tongue out at her wife. "And yes, when the kids are older, we definitely need to bring them here. Show them where the Crocodile Hunter works and the Sydney Opera House, and where they had the Olympics. They'll love it."_

_Kicking off her Manolos heels, she lay down on the bed next to Nandi, enjoying the silence that filled the room. It was rare that the two ever had alone time since they adopted the kids- not that they regretted it at all. Lalah would have done anything for a real family growing up, and now she had it. And she'd be damned if she'd be anything like her own parents._

_"So what do you want to do before dinner?" Nandi asked."We've got two hours before we meet the esteemed Mr. Widmore." She winked._

_"Much as I would love to, darling, maybe we should give the kids a call? Remember, there's a time difference," Lalah reminded gently._

_"Ugh, I hate the change in time zones. I can never keep what time it is where straight. We definitely need to call the kids now. To the phone!" her wife announced, as if she was about to embark on a most epic quest. _

_With a laugh, Lalah handed it to her, excited to hear about the latest exploits of her children. There was a knock at the door. "You talk to the kids; I'll get the door babe." _

O O O

Mia stared down the beach, watching as everyone gathered around the fight. The main camp, which had developed near the shoreline around the signal fire, was filled with people- people that she didn't particularly want to spend time or associate with. She didn't need them. If her dad had been useful for anything in his life, it had been to teach her how to survive. And it wasn't strength that helped you survive, it was brains.

Brains which she was using right now. As the crowds dispersed from where a fight had broken out, she watched and waited, surrounded by the materials she gathered to build her house. Pathetically, she attempted to stack the pieces of metal, arranging them half-hazardly on the sand. One, two, three piled up, jagged edges askew. They held for several seconds, and then crashed down. Mia peaked behind her, looking for anyone who might notice her feeble attempts. The only problem with living on the outskirts of camp was the lack of hapless victims to con.

_Target sighted, _she thought with a smirk. Goodwin, her favorite schmuck, was walking along the beach with Jason and an African-American man. Quickly, she busied herself over the materials again, trying to make it look like she was struggling with the house. Just as the three walked past, she burst into tears.

"Aw Mia, what's wrong sweetie?" Goodwin called, running to her side.

"I've be… been trying to build a te…tent all morning. And it won't work," she sobbed. "I don't know why everyone else can do it and not meeee!"

Goodwin took a seat next to her, patting her shoulder gently. "Hey, hey, no crying Mia. We'll help you build a tent, right Mike, Jason?"

She looked up, wiping her eyes. Mike was nodding his head in agreement, and started examining the pieces she had. "I was going to be an architect before I had my son. Have some experience in designing. We'll get you a nice little set up here. But don't you want to be closer to camp?"

She shrugged, pretending to be ambivalent. "I'll be fine here. I don't like the water very much. Thank you so much for helping me; I don't know how I'll be able to repay you for this."

"No worries," Goodwin said seriously, as he and Michael began digging into the sand with a curved metal rod. "We gotta look out for each other here. You gonna help Jason?"

"Nah, I'm gonna try my luck at fishing. I'll see you later Goodwin, Mike." Mia looked up at the third man, who looking between her and Goodwin. He looked pissed, and slightly suspicious. As he turned to walk away, Mia couldn't help but smirk.

_Two out of three ain't bad. You haven't lost it chica. _

O O O

"I don't want to speak at the memorial!" Mackenzie quickly stated. "I always say something inappropriate. Charlie, why don't you speak?"

"I'm a performer, not a eulogizer," Charlie responded, throwing his hands up in mock defense. Natalie noticed he looked exhausted, deep black rings lining his eyes. He was twitchy. She hoped he wasn't getting sick- that was the last thing Jack needed to deal with right now. "Besides, I don't really know that I'm the best person to have speak. What about Brad?"

Claire looked as if she was about to agree, but Mackenzie interjected. "No, I don't know if he'd be sensitive enough. We need someone who can do this with respect. This might be the only memorial these people ever get. We have to do this right."

"What about Jack? He speaks pretty well, and everyone pretty much looks up to him," Natalie suggested. To her, it was the obvious choice. He was their impromptu leader, the person everyone genuinely looked to for advice. "And if not Jack, Lalah?"

"See, Kenz, this is why we keep Little Fuzz around!" Charlie said with a smile, ruffling her hair. She grimaced at the nickname, trying to dodge his hand. Still, he couldn't help but laugh. Charlie was fun, almost like an annoying brother (maybe Jack could get her one of those someday…).

"Do you want me to go ask him? I don't mind," Natalie offered, standing up to make her intent very clear to them.

Though at first she'd been a bit put off by Jack's freak out in the tent, she could understand his reasoning, and was glad he had come in time to save her from the delusional marshal. She was determined to make the doctor like her, or at the very least, respect her as a member of their island community, before she revealed her secret to him.

"Thanks Nat!" Claire said with a smile as Sawyer approached the group, his hands laden with papers. Not wanting to hear what smart-ass remarks he was going to make, she began her search for Jack.

She found him standing at a distance from the medical tent, watching Katherine caring for the man Boone and Nikki found in the woods. "Dr. Shephard?" she called out hesitantly.

"Oh hey… it's Natalie, right?" She nodded. Standing, he moved next to her. "I've been meaning to find you. I wanted to apologize for shouting at you last night. You were just trying to help and…"

"Don't worry about it. I shouldn't have been in there. I just hate feeling like I'm only good for being camp babysitter. It's like the parents have me on their radar so I can watch their kids constantly. It gets old. I know I can do more."

Jack laughed, and Natalie couldn't help but smile. _Just tell him… he's here, you're here. Just tell him._

"Well, next time you feel like doing something other than babysitting, just come find me. I can always find something for you to do. It's just good to see that you're so motivated, not many kids your age are. So what can I do for you?" he said, interrupting her thoughts.

"Well, Claire, Charlie, Kenzie and I are planning a memorial tonight. To remember the lives of the people who died in the crash. We were hoping you'd say a few words. It doesn't have to be anything fancy! Just a couple of words!"

"I… I don't think so Natalie. That's really not my thing," he replied.

"Please?" she begged, knowing she was being whiny.

"I really can't. I just wouldn't feel comfortable doing that."

Natalie frowned. "Oh, okay. I guess I'll go talk to Lalah then. Thanks Dr. Shephard." Disappointed, she went to look for Lalah.

O O O

"What the fuck? The little loner princess sheds two tears and gets them to build a house for her? I've been walking around in a bikini begging for someone to catch me a fish and no dice! What the hell is going on here?" Shannon vented to Nikki as the girl walked passed. "Sex gets things done. Not tears. Sex."

The tall blonde, who was sunbathing, had argued with Boone about her inability to fend for herself that morning, right outside Nikki's tent. All morning she paraded around in a string bikini, slinking with swaying hips up to Goodwin, asking him to catch her fish. It had been an epic fail for the ages. Ever since, she'd been whining that no one would help her.

"She's only a kid. She shouldn't have to fend for herself. What are you, like, thirty? Grow up and catch your own food," Nikki shot back.

Shannon sat up; looking shocked at the jab at her age. "Bitch," she muttered, walking closer to the water.

Nikki knew very well that Boone's sister was her age, if even that much. But this was the only way she knew to get the girl to shut up.

"Nikki. You are amazing," she heard someone say behind her. Hurley stood there, gazing in awe at Shannon's disappearing figure.

"My pleasure, Hurley. I live to bring joy to my fellow survivors," she said with a smile.

"Maybe you'll get through to her, I know I can't," Boone said. She hadn't even realized he was there and she blushed, almost embarassed. "We wanted to ask you a favor."

"Shoot," she replied

"That woman down there, the one that Jack saved the day of the plane crash. I'm worried about her. She isn't eating, she's not talking. I tried, but she ignored me. Maybe if you…"

Nikki knew exactly what he wanted. "Sure I'll try talking to her. I don't mind." The grin Boone gave her as thanks was priceless.

She strode down the beach and took a seat next to the woman. "Hi! My name is Nikole. Normally I don't do this, but everyone is really worried about you. Boone said you hadn't been up the beach to get food at all. Did you lose someone in the crash?"

The woman sighed, holding her necklace. "My husband was in the bathroom when the plane went down."

She heard herself gasp softly. "I'm so sorry. I don't know if anyone told you, but we're having a memorial service tonight for everyone who died. Maybe you could talk about him a little. I'm sure he'd like that."

The woman turned and smiled. "Oh sweetie, my husband isn't dead."

"But—"

She shushed her. "You'll know when you get married. You'll just know when he's hurt and when he's safe. And I can feel it. Bernard isn't dead."

Shocked into silence, Nikki just remained at the woman's side. She just didn't have the heart to tell her that there were no other survivors.

O O O

_Lalah opened the door to the hotel room. A petite, slim woman with shiny black hair and smooth, caramel skin stood there. "Can I help you?"_

"_Sorry, I think I have the wrong room. I'm looking for Nandi Mqwebu, is she here?"_

_Lalah couldn't help but wonder who this woman was. Maybe another business associate? Nandi's parents had been making deals in Australia since before Lalah had worked with them. "Yes, she's here. She's on the phone with our children right now, but she should be done in a moment. Do you want to come in?"_

"_Oh, no. I don't want to interrupt. I'll just wait out here til she's done. She should recognize my name, it's Pampata."_

_Lalah shut the door gently. "Nandi," she said, taking the phone from her wife. "There's a woman outside the door looking for you. Her name is Pampata. I think she knows your parents or something. I'll talk to the kids for a bit, don't worry about it."_

_She didn't even take note of the look of shock that passed over Nandi's face. Lalah thought only that it was surprise that an old friend had found them in a totally new country._

_After ten minutes on the phone, Lalah said goodbye to the kids. Outside the door, she heard Nandi's voice rising in anger. Pampata's was louder as well. She knew she shouldn't be nosy, she trusted her wife more than anyone she ever met, but she wanted to hear what was going on. _

_Walking softly to the door, she pressed her ear against it. "We had one night, Pampata. It meant nothing to me. _Nothing._ I love my wife. You and I were a mistake."_

"_YOU TOLD ME YOU WOULD LEAVE HER! You promised me that it was over between the two of you, that you were going to come home with me Nandi!"_

"_Get the hell out of here. We are nothing. You and I will never have anything together, because I love my wife. Goodbye."_

_When Nandi stepped back through the door, Lalah was in tears. Anger was surging through her as sobs wracked her body. "Lalah, let me explain," Nandi said quickly._

"_Did you sleep with her?" Lalah demanded. There was no question there._

_Nandi looked incredibly ashamed and grieved. Tears were filling her eyes as well. "Once. On a business trip. It wasn't supposed to happen but-"_

"_I can't be here with you right now," Lalah interrupted, completely incapable of dealing with the situation. Nandi, whom she had loved, who had made her feel more loved than anyone else ever had, had betrayed her. She wasn't even angry, she just felt numb. "I'm going home to the kids. You stay here and finish this deal. I need time to thin, because frankly, I don't even know what to say to you. I just… I can't be near you."_

_Lalah grabbed her suitcase, throwing clothing into it with little regard. "Lalah, at least wait til tomorrow. It's dark out."_

"_I'll find somewhere. We'll talk when you get back to the states. Goodbye." Slamming the hotel room door behind her, she paused just outside the door and prayed she was doing the right thing._

O O O

Struggling through the jungle with one of Locke's Bowie knives in her hand, Lalah had never felt so nervous. She wasn't afraid of the animals in the jungle, scary as they might be. Rather, it was the fact that she carried Sayid's fragile antenna, which could potentially be their one hope to escape the island.

"So what made you decide to join in the hunt?" Jay asked.

Lalah smiled. She enjoyed Jay. He was quiet, a hard worker, and really didn't seek to be a leader. "I spoke to Sayid earlier today about his antenna. He needed someone to place it in a tree, and I have the requisite tree climbing experience Besides, I need to get home. I have three kids and if mom's not on time to check homework before Jimmy Neutron goes on, there is hell to pay!"

Jay laughed. "I have kids of my own. I know the feeling. "

Locke shushed them, waving a hand wildly. Nearby, Lalah could hear the rooting of the boars in the grass. "They're close, we can get them now. Just stay real quiet…"

Lalah crouched behind John, mimicking his every move. He seemed to know what he was doing, and she was always eager to learn something new. Behind her, she heard Jay follow. "About how far do you think they are from here?" he whispered softly...

Not softly enough, because moments later, the sounds of hooves stampeding resounded. "RUN!" Locke shouted.

Lalah did not need to be told twice. Holding the backpack with the antenna close to her, she bolted, Locke and Jay close behind her. The footsteps grew closer and closer, louder and louder. Then Jay let out a scream and fell to the ground.

"My leg. Fuckin' thing attacked me!" Lalah saw the dark red blood soak the leg of Jay's khaki pants.

"Can you take care of him? I'm going after the boar!" Locke asked. Without waiting for a response, he jogged back into the forest, knife drawn.

"John no! I need- oh hell no, he did not just leave me here." Lalah sighed, frustrated. She wanted to panic, but knew Jay needed help. Taking the knife she took of the sweatshirt she was carrying and cut it up to wrap around his leg. Once it was wrapped tightly, she propped him up on her shoulder and started walking back towards camp.

"If my wife was here, she'd be laughing her ass off," he said breathlessly, and Lalah could tell he was in pain.

"So would mine," Lalah added with a grin, trying to lighten the situation. Jay didn't ask any question, just grinned. She found it made her respect the man even more.

Quickly they made their way back through the jungle, when they reached a tree that stood in a clearing. "Do you mind if we stop? Will you be alright? I can hang the antenna in that tree, and then we'll head back to camp…"

"I'm not going anywhere!" Jay said.

Jumping up, Lalah grabbed the lowest branch grateful that she'd taken the time to teach Malik how to climb a tree when he had begged to learn. She'd been hesitant at first, not wanting her older son to be injure himself, but in the end she'd given in. It had come in handy. She pulled herself up, carefully test each branch for stability before climbing higher.

"You got it Lalah?" Jay called from below.

"Yeah I've-" She grabbed the tree quickly as the ground began to shake. In the distance she heard the monster, loud and mechanical as ever. "Oh damn. Oh damn, damn, damn."

The ground shook again, and Lalah watched as her backpack fell to the ground, the antenna still inside. She scrambled down the tree, where she saw Jay struggling to get up. Opening the backpack briefly, she saw that the antenna had broken into two pieces.

"Shit. Let's get out of here," she said, helping Jay back up. He leaned heavily on her shoulder, hopping along as she ran.

"Where was that thing going?" he asked.

"Towards Locke," she replied, not stopping to look and see whether the older man was running as well. She had to help Jay.

O O O

"Hey Katherine! How is he doing?" Jason asked the red-haired doctor as she wiped the sweat from the unconscious man's forehead.

"I'm hoping he'll wake up soon. He's the lone survivor from the front section of the plane, I think. He's had a rough time of it."

Jason nodded, knowing all along that there had been no survivors in the front section. Goodwin had checked, and double checked. He'd looked too, because he never could quite trust the other man's judgment. So where had the mysterious man come from?

That was beside the point. "Hopefully he'll up and walking soon. I was wondering, have you seen Goodwin around? I had a quick question for him."

"Oh sure! He just finished helping that blonde girl with her house. He was walking along the shore a few moments ago."

Turning, he spotted Goodwin. "Thanks Katherine. See you at the memorial?"

"Definitely," she replied.

Jason had never imagined it would be so easy to blend in with the survivors. They were so accepting, so trusting that they had all been on the plane together. Spotting Goodwin, he called the man aside. "Follow me," he said.

Walking into the jungle just deep enough to remain unheard by the others, Jason stopped. "What the hell are you doing?" he demanded of Goodwin.

"What do you mean?" his partner asked, feigning innocence.

"With that girl. Mia. What kind of head games are you playing? She's just a kid, and besides that, Jacob would never want her. She's not a good person."

Goodwin snorted. "What makes you think you know what Jacob wants? You've been on this island, what, two years now? You shouldn't be saying his name, much less insinuating that you know what he wishes. Besides, it's obvious Mia would never be chosen for the list."  
"Then what gives? You're getting involved, and that's exactly what Ben told us _not _to do."

He shook his head. "You don't get it, do you? Eventually, Ben's gonna start asking for the kids. And people will be suspicious when the kids start disappearing. Who are they going to suspect of being involve? Good ole Goodwin and Jason who would do anything to help the camp? Or the conniving girl that lives alone on the edge of camp?"

Jason felt his jaw drop. Sure, Mia was a little con artist. But in observing her, he was beginning to think it wasn't natural, but a habit that had been ingrained in her head. The girl didn't deserve to be thrown to the wolves.

"You're a sick man. You disgust me," Jason spat.

"Yeah, but in the end, it's about survival," he replied. "And I'm gonna be the one who comes out of this alive."

O O O

_The bus was overcrowded and loud and smelly, and Lalah was almost glad it was so, because she didn't want anyone to notice her tears. Every bump and turn sent her flying, and she didn't even brace herself because she honestly didn't care. The life she had built, the happy life she'd found after years of loneliness and isolation, had crashed down around her. _

_She'd called her mother-in-law that morning, telling her she was coming home. She hadn't gotten into specifics, only that there had been a fight, and she could not be with Nandi right now. Sade had been incredibly understanding, and had even gone so far as to book her tickets on the first flight out of Australia: Oceanic 815. _

_At the bottom of her purse, she felt her cell phone vibrating. Burrowing through the disorganized jumble of unnecessary objects at the bottom of her bag, she saw a little red-haired girl running up the center aisle of the bus and fall down. _

_Ignoring the phone, she moved to help the little girl up, but the young man sitting in the seat in front of her lifted her up and sat her down. The two chatted a bit, the girl still stumbling over her words, and Lalah thought of her own kids back at home. What would happen to them if she and Nandi broke up?_

_A woman that looked like a carbon-copy of the little girl rushed over. "Elizabeth, what are you doing?" she said sharply._

Good lord woman, take a Xanax,_ Lalah thought. _Enjoy the time you have with her- she'll be grown up some day.

_After a brief, hurried conversation, she carried the little girl back to her seat. Lalah then found her cell phone and checked the missed calls. Nandi, again. _

I should call her back… _Though it went against all her better judgment she hit the send button. _

_"Lalah? Lalah, thank God. Are you alright? Where are you? Please, just come back to the hotel. We have to talk this out."_

_"Nandi I—"_

_"I know I screwed up. I know I did. But I can fix it. This is all my fault and I don't want to throw this away because of my stupidity," she begged. _

_"Nandi, I just need some time away. Please, try to understand. You know I love you, but after what I saw this weekend… it's gonna take some time. And I need you to understand that. I need to know that I can trust you again." She sighed, leaning her head back against the fake leather upholstery of the seat. _

_"Then I'll go home with you," Nandi said quickly._

_"No, no you stay here and finish up with Widmore Construction. I know how important this deal is for your parents. Your mom is gonna pick me up at the airport. I'll take the kids home."_

_"Call me when you get in," Nandi said. She sounded defeated._

_"Yes, I will call you when I get in. Bye." As the phone snapped shut, Lalah began crying silently again. _

O O O

Jay and Lalah sprinted out of the jungle, luckily running directly into Jack. "What the hell happened to you two?"

"I was attacked by a boar. Locke is still somewhere out there in the woods, the monster was following him. I don't know… I think it might have gotten him," Jay said, grasping his leg.

"I'll take him from here Lalah, go get some rest." The woman who saved his life nodded, and looked around the beach. Jay knew she was looking for Sayid, so she could break the news that the antenna had broken.

"Let's get you up to the first aid tent," Jack said. Leaning heavily on the doctor, he limped over to the tent where Katherine was still fussing over the man Nikki and Boone had brought back from the cockpit. Next to her, Lizzie was smiling, attempting to build a sand castle with dry sand.

"There's better light out here, take a seat and I'll go get some bandages," Jack said. Propping his leg against a suitcase, Jay relaxed into the sand.

There was a noise in the brushes. Looking up, he saw a man staring down at him. Older, with graying hair he recognized him instantly. It was his partner on the plane, his contact and boss, Christina Shephard. "Chr… Christian? Man, I thought you were dead!"

He did not speak, only raised a hand to his mouth signaling that he should be quiet. Then he was gone.

"Okay, let's clean this up, shall we?" Jack said, taking a seat next to him.

"Can you do me a favor first?" Jay asked. "I thought I saw movement in the woods. Maybe it's Locke, could you go look?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, no problem. God, I hope he's not hurt. We can't afford another injury."

Jay smiled, relieved. He wasn't sure why Christian wanted his own son to believe he was dead. He had never asked, and the older man had never told. Still, he was certain that if Jack found his father alive on the island, it would be a great comfort to him.

Jack walked into the woods. Jay sat there for ten, fifteen minutes waiting for him to return. _Shit, what if the monster found him? I may have just killed the island doctor. Oh fuck…_

"I found Locke!" he heard Jack call. The two men stumbled out of the jungle, Locke carrying a very dead boar in his arms. "And we're having dinner tonight!"

Jack looked excited, but Jay could see in his eyes as he examined the wound on his leg that he was haunted. Jack had most definitely seen Christian. And Jack thought Christian was a ghost.

O O O

"You almost done there, Fuzz? It's getting dark," Charlie said, picking up a neatly sorted pile of documents.

"Just this last pile!" the girl said enthusiastically. Over the girl's head, Mackenzie grinned at Charlie.

"Do you really think I can do this? I'm really nervous. What if I don't do it right," Claire said, rubbing her belly as the baby turned. When Lalah had left for the hunt, the four working on the memorial had voted on a speaker, and Claire had won the honors.

"Come on, Claire, you know you'll be fine. And if you aren't, you can take comfort in the fact that no one is going to insult the pregnant girl," Mackenzie replied.

"Oh thanks—"

Natalie dropped the papers she was holding. Mackenzie followed her eyes to one passport in particular. The little girl picked it up, and opened it again. "Guys, do any of you know Lalah's last name?"

"I doubt there's more than one Lalah here on Mystery Island," Charlie replied. "Why?"

The girl shoved the passport towards them, not wanting to say what she saw. Mackenzie leaned over and read through the words on the page. The woman's name was Nandi; her emergency contact information listed was for Lalah, the status listed as married. Briefly, she wondered why Lalah had never mentioned her wife was on the plane. It dawned at her that Lalah might not even know.

"Oh Lord," Claire whispered. "Who's going to tell her?"

Glancing out of the tent she saw Lalah speaking to an upset Sayid. The others were not going to volunteer, so she took the passport and made her way to the other woman. No matter what, Mackenzie knew that Lalah could not be caught by surprise by her wife's death at the memorial ceremony.

"Lalah, can we talk?" she asked as she approached the workbench where Sayid was. A shadow fell over her, and it was then she noticed that Charlie had joined her to deliver the news. He took her hand, giving it a squeeze for confidence.

"Sure sweetie, what's the matter."

Charlie led them away from the camp, to where they could be alone. Taking a deep breath, Mackenzie spoke. "We found this today, while we were sorting through the passports of those who died on the plane. We think… we think…" She found herself at a loss for words, and passed the passport to Lalah.

Recognition seemed to pass over Lalah's face almost immediately, and she opened the document book to the page where the owner's picture was. She let out a loud shriek and crumpled to the ground, crying. Immediately, Charlie was at her side, and Mackenzie sat at the other, comforting the woman the best they could.

There was nothing else they could do.

O O O

_I can't believe Ben is making me do this. Spy on a friggen' memorial service. There is something inherently wrong here,_ Anna Lucas thought, hidden amidst the leaves. She couldn't figure out what possibly could be observed here, what could possibly be of interest to anyone. These people were in mourning, could they not just be left in peace?

Taking out the spiral bound notebook that Joshua had given her as she left camp, she began writing her observations of the ceremony.

A pregnant Australian girl was leading the ceremony, an obese man and- wait a sec, was the lead singer of the Dead Aces? It totally was him. Wait until she told Kim Li and Emily. The two girls had worn through their album and had been begging Richard to bring them a new copy after his next trip. The two men were holding large torches, lighting the passports that the girl was reading. Next to the singer was a little boy who was clinging to his leg.

Farther away, a lithe, tall woman was holding hands with a brown haired young man. Nearby, a blonde girl with modelesque features stood petulantly waiting, as if the ceremony couldn't be over soon enough. A red haired woman with a little girl on her hip glanced back frequently at a tent where a man was unconscious, ready to leave the ceremony at any moment should he give any indication of pain. A teenage girl with poufy hair stood between a blonde that could pass as the pregnant girl's twin, and a short blonde-haired man.

An African American woman stood in the interior of the circle, body shaking with sobs. She must have lost someone in the crash. A man with an injured leg stood next to her, rubbing her back and trying to provide any comfort he could. Outside the circle of survivors, maybe thirty or forty feet away, a teenager stood, pretending she was entirely disinterested. She was clearly an outsider. Anna saw Goodwin continually steeling glances back at her.

Finally, a young man stepped forward, taking the torch from the obese man. He was tall with brown hair and handsome features. He looked familiar.

Taking a few steps out of the jungle, Anna knew she recognized the man. As the light illuminated his face, she gasped.

_How did this happen? He was never supposed to find this place; he has his whole life ahead of him. How the hell is he here? _

She wanted to cry. Her baby brother should not have been here. He deserved so much more from life to be trapped on this hell-hole of an island. But she knew she hadn't made a mistake.

Ryan was among the survivors.

* * *

**Hey everybody! I'm so glad everyone enjoyed the last chapter! It's been a big week for me- I just found out I was accepted to my first choice grad school- so writing wasn't quite in the forefront for me. Sorry about the delay!**

**Thanks to everyone who took the time to read, and especially those of you who took the time to review: GreenTeaHoney, Ciboulette, Charlotte 4eva, Son of Adam, Northern Wolf, linz96, Golden-Black Dragon (x's 2!), Charlotte Lewis, Hope, DiorNicole, NattAttack and HeroineInducedPanic. I always love to hear what you think, and your all always so fabulous!**

**So next chapter we'll be heading back to the tailies and the Others. Cause let's face it, there have been some odd things occurring on their side of the island...**

**Til next time, best wishes! Jac  
**


	9. As The Present Now Will Later Be Past

**Disclaimer: Since the last time I updated, I am still not in the posession of Lost. It's still not mine. Character belong to their fabulous creators. ER was created by Michael Crichton. Perez Hilton is fabulous, and definitely not owned by me. Tarzan was created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. All Dogs Go To Heaven was produced by Don Bluth. The song "You Ain't Woman Enough To Take My Man" was writtena and sung by Loretta Lynn. The movie Cast Away was produced by Robert Zemeckis. The title of the chapter is taken from the song "The Times They Are A-Changin" by Bob Dylan.**

**Authors Note: This chapter is set up a bit different than the other chapters. This chapter is not based on any particular episode, as there is only one dedicated to the tailies up until their reunion with the mid-section. As a result, this chapter is divided up into days. We've seen the mid-section up until day five. So this will bring you up to speed with the happenings of the tailies, the others, and even some of the freighties to this point. I will follow this format for all tailie chapters until the reunion, just to give a basic timeline of events!  
**

* * *

**Chapter Six  
**

"_It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change."_

-Charles Darwin

* * *

**Day 2**

Nandi flicked a small twig into the fire, watching it ignite instantly. No ships yet- never a good sign. No sign of the five that had disappeared into the jungle last night with the mysterious people either. It made her feel jumpy, nervous. Like she could be the next target at any minute.

_I mean, who really lives on a deserted island like this. Head hunters? Some undiscovered tribe that was lost to the centuries? Either way, it can't be good. _

The sun was halfway up in the sky, beaming down shades of red, gold, pink, and fuscia. Her thoughts went to Lalah, her dead body somewhere in the ocean never to get a funeral. It cut through her like a knife. There had been plans, of course, in case one of them had ever died. But Nandi had never thought they'd have to put those plans into action.

If those psychos in the jungle took her, and she was never rescued, who would take care of the kids?

_Stop thinking like that. I can mourn when I get home. Now is the time to take control of the situation. What can we do to get off this island? _

"Hey! You're Nandi, right…" a man maybe two or three years younger than her said, taking a seat on the beach next to her.

"Yeah, and you are?"

"Russ Knowles. Listen, I know this is weird, but I was talking to JP, and he said you were probably the most together person on this entire island. And that's a good thing, you know? Cause I think we have a major problem in our island leadership."

"Who, Ana Lucia?" she asked, scooting to face Russ. He nodded in agreement, and Nandi was instantly interested in what he had to say. She continued, "Yeah, I'm not buying her as a leader. I suggested we move away from his beach area this morning. Those people, whoever came out of the jungle… they know where we are. We should try and distance ourselves, find a new campsite, but she refused to listen. Says this is the only place rescue boats will find us."

"She killed someone yesterday," Russ said. "We tried to warn her that the guy was still alive, but she ignored us. It was Sophie's cousin. And this morning she ran off into the jungle alone saying she was going to search for the people that disappeared. I'm not trying to cause trouble; it's the last thing I want. It's just… there's something not right there, and based on what JP said, I thought you would probably be the best to talk to."

Nandi felt her jaw drop. "Wait… she did what?"

Russ ran a hand through his brown hair, glancing nervously around him. He leaned in closer, and in a hushed whisper began, "Ok… this is what happened…"

Nandi was all ears.

O O O

JP pressed his hand against Donald's forehead as the man's body gave a shudder. It was warmer than it had been moments before. Secretly he hoped it was the heat of the island sun- they were obviously somewhere near the equator- but deep inside, he had a feeling that it was an infection. Both Libby and Ethan had their concerns about the possibility of one occurring if they didn't get rescued soon.

At least Donald hadn't woken up since Libby had set his broken leg. JP imagined the man would be in extreme amounts of pain.

"How's he doing?" he heard Lucy ask from her seat a few feet away. Ethan had insisted they set up a "hospital" near the rescue fire, to facilitate the medical treatment. JP had been impressed by his ability to organize so quickly. He'd done a hell of a better job than that Ana woman, who was running around screaming at everybody.

"Dunno," he replied to Lucy with a smile. "I gotta ask Libby or Ethan. Do I look like a doctor to you?"

"Eh, you could pull it off if you tried. You've got that George Clooney on _ER _look about you."

He chuckled, taking a seat next to her. She'd been incredibly upbeat since the baby had been born, appearing to be without a concern despite the fact that she'd given birth under the most primitive conditions. While JP knew from experience that it could be done, Ethan had been worried for a while.

"Well, while I'm making my afternoon rounds, what can I get for you, oh favorite patient of mine?" he asked.

Lucy bounced the baby in her arms. "I need some diapers and a bottle, stat."

Optimism- the all needed a little bit of that right now. Cindy, who had been a flight attendant on the plane, had said they were off course. Way off course. Rescue was probably looking in the wrong spot for them. But Lucy kept smiling through it all.

"Hey, have any of you seen Tony this morning?" JP looked up to see the speaker. It was the sandy haired guy, Gavin, whose friend had disappeared the night before.

He shook his head. "No, he was up early and into the jungle. Said something about looking for the others. How are you holding up?"

Gavin shrugged. "I'm okay. A little freaked. I keep thinking Nathan'll walk out of the jungle and say it was a bit joke. I'm worried about the dude, but he's a smart guy. He'll figure out how to escape, and then we can all go kick Tarzan and his people's asses."

"Real nice. Why are you looking for Tony?" JP asked.

"Russ and I are going back into the jungle with Sophie and Aly to find her cousin's body. Tony was there yesterday, as was Ana- have you seen her?"

JP shook his head again. "No, she went out about an hour after Tony to look for food. Haven't heard a word from her yet."

"Aw, well. I guess it'll just be the four of us then. If she comes back and flips out, let her know where we are, will you?"

"No problem man," JP replied, as Donald gave out a low moan.

Juggling the cooing baby in her arms, Lucy deadpanned, "The ER calls, doctor."

O O O

_"__OH MY GOD! You're here!!!!" the Indian woman half-shrieked in the middle of Sydney Airport._

_"The winsome threesome, reunited at long last!" Louisa Chang announced with a huge grin plastered on her face._

_"Are you two going to be doing this all week?" Jonathan-Pierre Arene Carlton asked with a frown that just barely concealed his smile. _

_"Keep up that attitude, mister, and you're on the next plane back to Boston. Got that?" Shanti Mukerjee, soon to be Sardesai, scolded._

_JP wrapped an arm around each of the women, thrilled to finally be reunited with his best childhood friends at Shanti's Australian dream wedding. This was the first vacation he'd taken for pure fun in years, and it was the perfect way to begin his summer break. When he got back to Boston, he'd still have six more weeks without nosy teenagers begging their way out of homework assignments._

"_You know I'm excited. Do you realize this is the first time since, like, the fifth grade we've all been together?"_

_"Quick call the papers. And Perez Hilton. We simply must publish the news," Louisa interjected. The short, compact Chinese-American woman shoved his arm off her shoulder. "Don't get all emotional on us now, JP."_

_"JP get emotional? Who was the one who locked themselves in their room crying for an hour after seeing the end of _All Dogs Go to Heaven_?" _

_With a laugh, the three walked over to the baggage claim area, ready for a week of catching up on the Australian beaches. _

O O O

"We almost there, Russ?" Gavin asked, and Aly silently thanked him for asking. It was her first excursion in to mystery jungle, and though she'd hiked the Himalayas a few short weeks earlier, it hadn't felt as intense at this.

"Maybe another five minutes, at most," the Italian man called back to them from where he was guiding Sophie through the woods, carefully aiding the actress over any piece of uneven terrain they passed.

"Damn, well isn't he Captain Chivalry," Aly muttered, with a role of her eyes.

"No, he's Captain 'I want to get laid by an actress when we're rescued.'"Gavin replied sarcastically. "I could carry you through the jungle if you wanted."

Aly smiled. Russ was most definitely a flirt. "I think I'll keep my feet on the ground, thanks, but I could carry you if you really wanted."

"If you insist," he replied, moving towards her.

"Whoa there cowboy… you keep walking, you hear?" She heard Gavin laughing now as well.

_We shouldn't be doing this… we're going to recover Sophie's cousin's body. This isn't a laughing matter…_ Oh hell, she couldn't help it. Aly felt good, being around people her own age that she got along with for the first time in eons. Nine months she'd been travelling the world, dealing with language barriers and currency exchanges. It had been fun, but she'd avoided the real world long enough.

"This is it," Sophie exclaimed suddenly. "This is where we were yesterday."

Russ glanced quickly around, taking in the clearing in which they now stood. A tall, foreign-looking tree grew a short distance from the rest of the jungle, looking oddly isolated. "Are you sure Soph? The airplane seats aren't here. This isn't—"

"It is. Look, that's definitely the tree, and there's the bloody seatbelt that caught as the chairs fell. This has to be the place. But… where's the seats? And Justin?"

It was an excellent question. Scanning the ground near the tree from which Aly assumed the young man had fallen, she saw no corpses. "You don't think the people that took Nathan…" Gavin started.

Aly interrupted him quickly, not wanting Sophie to get herself worked up. "No. Absolutely not. Justin has to be here somewhere." She knew how hard it was to face the world in the first few days after losing a loved one. Especially someone who was close to you.

Russ wandered closer to the jungle's edge, and Aly took it as a sign for the four of them to start searching for the body. She moved back the way they came. Perhaps they were mistaken, and they were in the wrong place. It wouldn't hurt to check.

Sophie followed her. "Were you traveling alone?" she heard the girl ask.

"Yeah. I guess I'm lucky, in a way. But I haven't actually seen a familiar face in almost a year. It'll be good—"

"I FOUND HIM!" Gavin shouted. "Sophie! I… found… him…"

Jogging, Aly followed the relieved British girl back to the body. "Thank God. I couldn't face my aunt and uncle if I'd left his body out here in the jungle. I'd be too bloody ashamed. They're going to be traumatized either way, he's an only child."

In the clearing, Russ and Gavin were standing over a lump in the grass. "Sophie, you don't want to come over here," Russ said.

"Why not?" the British woman demanded. Aly couldn't help but agree with her indignance. Just because they were girls didn't mean that they couldn't handle a little blood. Besides, Russ had already warned them that Justin's body was mangled after falling from the tree.

"No seriously, don't come over here," Gavin responded, his voice wavering. His face was pale white, and he looked queasy.

Sophie looked over at her and nodded. Aly gave half a smile back, and the two walked toward the body. As they drew closer, however, Aly realized just why Gavin looked like he was going to hurl at any moment. There was an area of broken wild reeds, covered in a pool of blood that was still soaking into the ground. Leading away from the patch of earth was a trail of blood where it was clear that a corpse had been dragged.

The streaks led to where Russ and Gavin stood, eyes intent on a leg, completely severed from the body five feet away. There were bite marks, long gashes that appeared to come from sharp claws.

Next to her, Aly heard Sophie gasp and whimper, beginning to glanced at the guys, who looked as horrified and confused as she did. None of them really knew what to do, or how to comfort Sophie, so she took her hand and squeezed it.

Russ tentatively approached her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "What do you want to do, Soph? The ball's in your court. If you still want to bring him back to the beach, we'll do it."

Sophie shook her head. "I can't ask you to do that. It's… it'll terrify everyone back in camp. Can we try to at least cover him, so nothing else can eat him? I can't leave him out here in the open."

"Of course we can," Aly said. None of them moved, though, to start.

"What the hell did this?" Sophie asked quietly, almost as an afterthought. "Something was tearing down trees in the jungle last night. There are sodding people on this island that kidnapped others from the plane. What the hell is going on?"

"I don't know," Gavin said. "But I do know that we're not gonna make it out of this place alone. The four of us are sticking together until we get off this damn island. I don't care what happens; I'll have your backs."

"Me too," Russ added, looking down at Sophie who nodded in agreement.

"All the way," Aly added. "We're getting out of here together."

* * *

**DAY 3**

"It'll be over my dead body, so get out while you can," Senna sang along with the decades-old Loretta Lynn record, pirouetting through the kitchen as she dried dishes. "Cause you ain't woman enough to take my man!"

"For the love of God, Senna, learn some real music!" Kim Li shouted down from her bedroom upstairs. "Country. Ugh! Don't they have rock and roll in Russia?"

The Russian woman laughed. It wasn't her fault that Jason was a closet country fanatic, and had passed on the addiction to her. Standing on her tip-toes she placed the now-dry bowl on the top shelf of the closet.

There was a loud knock on the door. Senna jumped back, knocking the bowl from where she had just put it. "Damn it," she muttered, before shouting at whoever was at the door, "Be right there!"

Since Jason had left and these new people had been brought to camp, she'd been entirely on edge. It didn't help that Goodwin had been sent with her ex-fiancé to the survivors' camp. That man had been bad news since the moment she stepped onto the island. Something seemed off- not entirely right.

"I'll get it Kim Li!" she called upstairs.

As she walked to the door, she felt her nerves going crazy. Jason might not be her boyfriend anymore, but they had somehow managed to maintain their friendship and it meant everything to her. He was her one last connection to the real world, her life before she came to the island. And though she loved her island life, every once and a while it was nice to think of what was back home waiting for her if she ever returned.

Through the window she saw Josh Greene and Danny Picket standing outside. "Hey," she said as she opened the door, pushing her hair out of her face. Outside she heard shouting- loud and strong- from a woman she didn't recognize. "What is going on? Is Jason ok?"

"Jason's fine, Senna," Danny replied. "We went to meet with him last night, to gather some information about the midsection survivors. Kate Austen woke up, and we had to take her."

"But… but…" She struggled to prevent her thoughts from bursting out of her mouth.

Alice. She couldn't know that there were other survivors. Senna knew for a fact that the black haired archaeologist was entirely unconvinced that the people who had kidnapped her were doing what was best (Senna would have felt the same way, if she were in a similar situation).

If Alice knew there were other survivors besides her own very vulnerable group, she might try and run, and that just couldn't happen. It wasn't an option.

"Give me a second will you? Kim Li! Come here!"

Down the stairs bounded the teenager, her black hair fluttering behind her. "What's up, Sen?"

"Can you go distract Alice? Make sure she doesn't come down here. Danny, Josh and I have business to discuss," Senna whispered softly, ensuring that her guest did not hear.

"Sure thing," Kim replied with her typical pep and vigor. "HEY ALICE! DO YOU LIKE DRIVESHAFT?" she shouted as she ran back upstairs.

"What's the matter Senna?" Josh asked. He sounded intimidating, but she wasn't afraid of him. Life was too short to allow one of Ben's right hand men to make her nervous.

"I was talking to Juliet just yesterday. She is not even close to being done with compiling all of their information. How can you be sure that Kate Austen is good enough to be here? How can we know until we've tested them?"

Josh frowned. "That's why she hasn't been moved into a house yet. As soon as we know what she's like, what she's capable of, we can make a judgment on what to do. Until then, we have to deal with the error we made last night."

Senna was far from satisfied with his answer, but she let the subject drop where it was. No sense pushing the man when he was already perpetually annoyed. "So what can I do for you gentlemen today, anyway?"

"Richard and Ben want to see Kim," Danny said softly. They need her to go out again.

"Again? Do they not realize how dangerous it is? Kim Li is only a child, she should not be sent on such missions," Senna reprimanded, knowing that it would be futile. She wasn't one to give up without a fight.

"Send her over to Ben's around five-ish," Josh said, ignoring her remarks. "She should be back within a day or so." The two men left without so much more as a word.

O O O

"Aww, sweetie, don't cry," Lucy cooed as Katya took a seat next to her. The new mother lay sprawled on a pile of jackets, sweatshirts, and debris that Ethan and Shawn had created for her. Katya couldn't help but pity the girl- when Jezebel had been born; she'd at had a hospital bed and someone to help with the baby.

"What did you chose to name her?" she asked, taking a seat next to the new mother.

"Oh hey!" Lucy struggled to sit herself up without knocking the baby out of her lap. "Katya, meet Hope Charlotte Nielson."

She felt her typically impenetrable façade break into a smile momentarily when the baby stopped wailing long enough to take in the new face. Within second, her tiny wrinkled face was red and sobbing again.

"That is a lovely name. Where did you choose it from?"

Lucy didn't get a chance to answer, "Yo, would you shut your kid up?" a shrill voice asked. Katya looked up to see a tall, skinny, darkly tanned girl with a red bindi standing over them. She wore only a bra and a pair of short-shorts.

"Excuse me?" Katya said defensively. "Do you have children?"

"I'm a beauty queen. Do I _look_ like I would have children? You don't have a body like _mine_ and have kids." The woman struck a pose, and Katya marveled at the incredibly stupidity she displayed.

"Why don't you go do something useful rather than complain to a woman who just gave birth- mind you, without drugs- that her baby is crying. Go look for food. Or clean water."

"Or stop breathing," Lucy added helpfully, a cheerful smile plastered across her face. "The baby should stop crying soon, Nila. Calm yourself down."

The tall woman frowned. "Good. Cause next time those people come and kidnap us, it'll be your fault, cause your baby led them right to where we are." She stormed back down the beach, hips swaying back and forth.

Katya took her seat back next to Lucy. "You don't think… you don't think the others will blame me if those people return and take more of us? Cause most babies don't sleep through the night, and if…"

"Lucy, every mother knows that. Nandi is a mother. I was a mother. Ethan is a doctor. I am sure that everyone will understand. And if they don't, you will be defended, I promise you that. If those other people come we'll just give them that bitch over there."

"Oh Nila, our current Miss Universe? Yeah, she's pretty scary, isn't she? You know, I follow entertainment news, and the only reason that she is Miss Universe is because a mysterious car crash killed the winner and the first runner up. Crazy what people will do for a silly title, isn't it?"

Katya sighed as she leaned back into the sand. "Yes. Crazy."

O O O

_She's fine Anthony Prince. Wherever she is, Mia is alive, and Mia is fine. You trained her. She's a survivor._ For the eighty-ninth time since they crashed, he reminded himself that his little girl was a fighter. He wouldn't have allowed her to be any other way.

Pushing his way through the woods, he didn't even think about the dangers that potentially awaited him. He'd seen the four twenty-somethings come out of the jungle yesterday looking spooked beyond belief. Tony didn't give a damn. There was one motivating force behind his actions: his grumbling stomach.

There had to be food somewhere on this damn island. How else would those mysterious jungle people be surviving? He was determined to find it, determined to eat it, and determined not to share it.

_Survival of the fittest. Mr. Darwin, you were a most intelligent man,_ he mused, almost forty-five minutes after he'd begun his journey. This was his second time searching for food- yesterday, he'd gone east and found nothing. He hoped that a westerly direction might prove more fruitful.

Fruit. Mangoes and coconuts all grew wild- how else would Tom Hanks have survived in _Castaway? _Tony had already scolded himself for not being prepared to be stranded on an island. Insane as it seemed, he prided himself on being prepared for any situation that came his way, whether it be in his personal life or business life. Ever since Carol—

No, he wouldn't think of that. He needed to find food. With food, he could eat and survive, and find his Mia. He wasn't about to give up hope on his little girl.

Fifty minutes of walking, and his Prada suit got caught on a brier bush. "Shit," he muttered, even though the suit had no chance of being salvageable after going through the crash.

As he stood, he saw a legitimate food heaven before his eyes. Trees, dozens of trees, filled with ripe fruit that weighed down the branches toward the ground. With an excited leap, one that normally would have been so out of character for him, he ran for the food.

And as he broke open the thick skins of the fruits and gorged himself on the sweet, juicy food, Tony felt like king of the island.

O O O

Softly padding through the jungle, Kim Li saw them standing in the firelight outside the makeshift tent that Oliver had told her about. The two doctors were there- Katherine Williams, the pediatrician, and Jack Shephard the surgeon, as was the little girl Natalie. They were arguing over what to do with a man who was ill.

Suddenly, a gun shot rang out, and she jumped high into the air, rustling the branches behind her. The blonde haired con man, James Ford stepped out of the tent.

_Calm down, Kim Li. No reason to be jumpy. They don't suspect a thing. Just get the details for Ben and Juliet, and then you can go pass out in your bed. Nothing to it._

Desperate gasps for air were coming from the tent- the con man hadn't killed him. Settling back, she listened as the adults argued over what to do with the now dying US Marshall. She watched Jack reenter the tent, and the gasping stopped.

It was going to be a long night, watching over the survivors of the crash. But if they were going to do things right- if Ben was going to make the perfect plans- she had to get information.

So Kim Li observed and waited.

* * *

**DAY 4**

A fist pounded on the door again, and Cassandra Beckett massaged her forehead gently. _Please don't let it be Amir. Or Blair. Or any of them… God I can't deal with any of them right now._

As she moved toward the door, she glanced outside, but couldn't see anyone there. "Who is it?"

"Your favorite!" a male voice called back. Without hesitation, she pulled the door open, and looked up at the teenager who towered over her. "Hey there, big sis!"

"Eric, what the hell are you thinking?" Cassie yelled. Her brother didn't seem surprised by her reaction.

"Aww, calm down Cassie. I was just havin' some fun with good ol' Papa Rom." He meandered into the kitchen, grabbing a glass out of the closet and pouring two glasses of lemonade.

"Fun? Fun is playing baseball and soccer. Fun is not tormenting a man while he's undercover and lying to him about what's happening here."

His grinned even wider, taking a seat on the couch as he handed her the lemonade. "How'd you hear about that?"

She didn't sit, even though he indicated she should. "Blair stopped by yesterday and gave me an earful. "

Eric rolled his eyes. "Blair is a crazy old bitch whose one concern is making others look bad so Ben will notice her. You worry too much, Cassandra."

"I worry too much? You're the idiot running around this island even though you've already caused so much trouble that you're forbidden from leaving camp! So forgive me if I worry about the one person I have left on this island."

Eric sighed, his proud grin fading. "But don't you see, Cass? I'm trying to get us out! I want off this island as much as you do, and we're not alone."

At his words, she dropped the glass of lemonade, spilling it all over the floor. "What do you mean, 'we're not alone'? Eric, who have you been talking to?"

"Ben took Peyton's parents." There were no smiles on Eric's face now. "He's not talking, and she hasn't heard from them since. And Kit has a family back home in Florida. Yesterday I was talking to Juliet, and with Karl being MIA, I know I can get Alex—"

"Why don't you just go ask Josh and Oliver if they want to play revolution too, Eric? Or how about Ben, that'll go over real big!" Cassie interrupted. She felt her hands trembling, a million thoughts going through her mind. "You're a bunch of teenagers! What good will it do? Eric, when they brought me here, I hated this place, absolutely despised it, and I still do. I hate these people more than you will know. But then I found you and now we're together, and if that's what it takes to keep us together, then I'll accept this. And you should too."

"Cassie, I'm gonna get us off this island. And then it'll be you and me in the real world, big sis. No more fucking around. That bastard kept us from our lives long enough."

O O O

_JP stood beside the best man at the altar, watching as Shanti placed the ring on her husband's finger. Shanti had opted out of the traditional Indian wedding ceremony, choosing a nondenominational ceremony for her and her Australian husband, Parker Sardesai. He hated to admit it, but he was kind of disappointed. What could he say? He loved experiencing other cultures. _

_Ten minutes later, they were standing outside the ceremony, shaking hands with everyone who passed. _

_"You are looking mighty fine in that suit of yours, Jonathan Pierre," Louisa complimented from next to him, shifting uncomfortably in her high heels and sky blue dress. "Charlie would be all over you if he was here."_

_JP felt himself blush as he kissed Shanti's grandmother on the cheek. "Well, I'm sure if Brad Pitt was here, he'd be trying to talk you into going back to his hotel room with him."_

_"Holy crap. That would be the best day ever. I'd totally ditch you all. No offense." Louisa grinned, her mind clearly ten thousand miles away. JP waved a hand in front of her face. "Oh, hey, I've been meaning to ask you. That necklace you're wearing is wicked. Where'd you get it?" _

_JP placed a hand to his neck. He'd forgotten he'd even put the wooden pendant on when he left his home in Boston. "I found it at my grandfather's house. It was in one of the drawers in his dresser. I found it when I helped clean out his house. Don't know what the symbols on it mean, but it looks like some sort of plant-ish thing in the middle. Why do you ask?"_

_"It's weird. I swear I've seen it somewhere before. Odd, huh?"_

_"Yeah, yeah it is," he replied with a smile as the last of the guests filed past them. Not really knowing them, they exchanged brief handshakes and smiles. _

_"Okay kids, time to head over to my reception!" the ever-bubbly Shanti announced, dragging Parker behind her. The newlyweds were grinning from ear to ear as they walked to the limousine. _

_JP followed behind them, still fingering the pendant._

O O O

"YOU FOUND FOOD!" JP heard a woman scream. "You son of a bitch, you found food and weren't telling us!"

"It's ever man for himself! If you want food so bad, you go find it yourself. Until then, it's all mine. You get that? It's all mine!"

"I'm going to KILL you!" the woman screamed, rushing Tony. She clawed at his face as he attempted to fight back without really hitting her hard. Standing up, JP ran down the beach as fast as he could, hoping someone would break up the fight before he had to step in. He was a thinker, not a fighter.

Luckily, Ana Lucia and Ethan had interjected, pulling Nila the beauty queen off of Tony. "What's going on?" she demanded. "C'mon. What the hell are you doing?"

"I caught him. In the jungle, he was eating a mango," the woman said sharply, yanking her arm out of Ethan's grasp. "He's hiding a food supply from us. I'm hungry as all hell. I want in."

"It's mine. I found it. If you want some, you can go and find it yourself. If you can find it, you can eat it," Tony snapped back.

"Hey, that's not right man," Gavin said, stepping forward. "We're all in the same boat. We've got to depend on each other, not turn our backs on each other."

"Oh shut up, you hippie. The hell that you know," Tony shouted. "It's a miracle you've survived this long with that 'help save the world' crap."

Ana Lucia grabbed Tony by the collar, pulling him closer to her. "Listen up, buddy. You're gonna take us to that fruit. We're starving out here. It's been three days, and none of us have eaten except you. And if you don't 'fess up, someone's gonna get angry, and take it out on you. Then what's the good that would have come from eating?"

Tony frowned, but JP could tell that he understood Ana Lucia's logic. "Fine, whatever. You want to go into the jungle with me, little girl, you better follow closely. Cause I don't slow down for no one."

Tony motioned for Nila to follow him. Standing proudly, with her nose in the air, she followed behind him as they moved into the jungle. Ana looked satisfied with this conclusion and started to go back to whatever she had been doing.

"Wait!" Nandi shouted. "Wait! We should send someone else with them. I don't trust either of those two."

"What do you suggest I do then?" Ana Lucia demanded, looking back over her shoulder and shooting Nandi one of the dirtiest looks JP had ever seen.

The African-American woman stared at Ana like she had two heads. "Send someone most of the group trusts. Then we can depend on that person to bring us back accurate information. Any volunteers."

Lucy stepped forward with the baby. "I think JP should go. I trust him."

"I trust whoever Lucy trusts," the Russian woman added.

Ana Lucia looked at him with disbelief in her eyes. JP knew he didn't look like the type of guy who could handle a trek through the jungle. He knew he was kind of scrawny. He didn't have the muscles and the fit look like Russ and Gavin and some of the others. But he was alright with that. "You alright with that?"

"Yeah. I'll go with them to find the food."

As he stepped into the jungle behind Tony and Nila, he saw Lucy smile, looking incredibly relieved at the promise of food. He stored it in his mind, as motivation to make this trip worthwhile.

O O O

Softly, Alice closed the door of the house behind her and grinned. Somehow, and she had no idea how, she'd managed to sneak past Senna bedroom without waking the ever-attentive ballerina. That woman had done a superb job of ensuring that there was no possible way for Alice to escape the house.

_Now where is Kate Austen being held?_ she wondered, looking around. She had to be close, as she'd heard the woman's shouts the day before.

Senna had honestly thought that Kim Li had distracted her in time to keep her from hearing any valuable information, but it wasn't the case. When Alice had heard that another plane crash survivor was in the camp she'd been excited. She thought it was Nathan, but he was apparently gone, brought back to their camp, Senna had told her.

Alice wanted to ask why she couldn't go back too, but they refused to answer her.

No, this woman was from another part of the plane; from another group of survivors. She was thrilled. If they could escape together, they could unite the two camps, and maybe come back here and demand these other people help them get back to the real world.

Walking down the path, she thought she heard voices ahead of her. Alice pressed herself against a house wall, just under an open window. It was the actual source of the voices.

"I want you to stay away from Ben," she heard a woman inside demand. "You're stupid if you think he wants you Blair. Ben belongs to me."

"You are nuts, Madelyn," she heard a second woman with a more familiar voice respond, sounding irked. "Ben and I have been friends since we were kids in Dharma. There's nothing more there. You need to drops this, or at least talk to Harper about your obsessive tendencies."

_Dharma… why do I know that name? _A door opened, and Alice held her breath.

"Obsessive tendencies?" the woman referred to as Madelyn shrieked. "I'll show you obsessive tendencies!"

As the door slammed shut, Alice heard something made of glass shatter against it. She held her breath. Blair was walking towards her.

"Damn her," Blair muttered as she walked by, focused on the road beneath her feet. "She doesn't know anything. Ben does care. He does! And I will find a way to save him. I will!"

Once the woman was out of sight, Alice finally breathed again. Ben- she'd heard this man spoken of as a leader before. Knowing that he was apparently in need of saving could work to her advantage. She continued walking down the road, where she saw a large wooden structure looming in the moonlight.

Upon getting closer, she realized it was a cage, sized perfectly for a human. She ran the rest of the way; certain this was where Kate was behind held.

"Wake up! Kate Austen! Wake up!" she hissed, looking over her shoulder.

"Wha…" the woman muttered groggily, looking all around her for the source. As soon as she saw someone outside her cage, though, she was on the defensive. "Now what do you people want? Leave me the hell alone!"

"No, no don't go crazy on me. I was on the same bloody plane as you!" Reaching in her back pocket, she pulled out the copy of her boarding pass that she'd left in there after she got on the plane. She was grateful, now, that she'd stuck it there instead of her purse. "Please, they took me too."

"You weren't at our camp," Kate said suspiciously.

"I know. We were in the tail. There are about twenty-five of us. They took four or five of us the first night on the island."

Kate looked shocked, a hand covering her mouth. "We had no idea. If we'd know, we would have tried to find you guys."

"I know. We didn't know about you either. Now's not the time to worry about that, though." Alice pushed her hair back out of her face, tying it back. "We need to figure out a plan to save our arses. Or at least a semblance of a plan."

Kate smiled as Alice pulled out a piece of paper and a pen that she'd stolen off Senna's downstairs desk. "We have til the morning. Let's get working on this."

* * *

**Day 5**

"Pass me that log, Shawn," Ethan said. Shawn grabbed one of the sturdier looking logs, bringing it over to the older man. "Yeah, that'll work great."

"So what are you doing with it?" Shawn asked, curious. Ethan had turned into a veritable dearth of knowledge on survival techniques. The man credited it to being an Eagle Scout as well as an avid camper.

He pointed to two pieces of metal that he'd pulled from the plain debris. "We're going to use this to hew the wood. Once we're able to stack the logs together sturdily, we'll at least have a little lean-to for Lucy and the baby, as well as the rest of the kids to spend the night in. Kind of a base camp."

"Can I help?" Shawn asked.

Ethan tossed him the other piece of metal. "I figured you'd want to. That's why I grabbed a second piece."

Shawn smiled. For the first time in forever, there was an adult that didn't treat him like a rare specimen of boy genius. He was so fed up with people treating him like a modern day Aristotle because of some fucked up IQ test.

"You know, not many kids your age would be so willing to step up like this. Especially after going so long without eating. My nephew, he'd be sitting out on the beach, baking in the sun, complaining about hunger pains and the lack of 'hot chicks.' You're a hard worker."

Shawn laughed, as he observed how Ethan carved into the wood with the metal. He mimicked the man's actions, and quickly began forming a rut where it could join with other logs.

"Yeah, well my parents wouldn't agree with you. They complain that I have a problem being serious. 'A boy as smart as you shouldn't act like that, Shawn,' they say, blah blah blah. I love my parents, but they've always been so tough on me. My sister, Arianna, was the favorite until they tested my IQ. I was off the charts. Everything changed after that. Special schools, special classes, everyone thought I was so damn special and I hated it. And as a result, I never quite lived up to expectations."

Ethan nodded in understanding. "Everyone hits that age, I think. Where you just want to get rid of your parents, and figure out who you are without them interrupting."

"Yeah!" Shawn agreed. "Thank you, finally someone gets it."

"But you have to realize, given everything I've seen these past few days, you're a real special kid, Shawn. A really special kid. It's gonna take you far someday."

Somehow, when Ethan said it, it finally didn't seem like such a bad thing.

O O O

_"Are you sure you're alright to get home?" Shanti asked in the hotel lobby, the perpetual grin that had been frozen on her face since her brother (who had gotten himself ordained online) said 'you may kiss the bride' still glowing._

_"Shanti. I am taking a bus to the airport. I'm not driving, and unlike you, I am not hung-over. Therefore, I shall be fine," JP replied. _

_"If I get this crazy when I get married, please shoot me," Louis chimed in._

_JP put his suitcase down, and wrapped the two women up in a tight hug. "I love you two. Seriously, I can't believe we waited this long to see each other. It friggen took Shanti getting _married_ to get us back together. Let's not wait this long again, alright?"_

_"That's a plan," Shanti said. "Now, I've got my own cab to catch. Some of us are going to Thailand today! I love you guys. Winsome threesome forever!" Kissing both her friends on the cheek she pranced back upstairs to the honeymoon suite where Parker was waiting for her._

_"Seriously, kill me if I'm anything like that," Louisa said. "Let me walk you to the bus." _

_The two walked outside silently, standing under the elongated canopy that shadowed the hotel entrance. A man in a top hat and tuxedo greeted them outside, as he held the door of a limousine open._

_"So I kept thinking about your necklace last night," Louisa said. "And I realized why it looked so familiar. My mom had a similar one, when I was a little girl. It was wooden too, and had that same octagon surrounding the design. But it wasn't that circly plant thing in the middle. It was a rabbit. Definitely, a rabbit. Weird, huh?" _

_"It's a small world, Louisa. We're all connected in a way; I learned that in the Peace Corp. It's a really, really small world."_

_Giving her one last hug, he boarded the bus. Soon enough he'd be in LA visiting his friend Ben, then back home to Charlie and a peaceful, relaxing summer vacation. _

O O O

"You have had us marching through this jungle since yesterday afternoon. I slept on a pile of termites. My hair is frizzing, and I think I broke a nail that I just got manicured before I got on the plane. Where the hell is the food Tony?" Nila demanded angrily, folding her arms across her chest.

Tony turned around, looking menacingly between JP and the woman. Instinctively, JP held his hands up. He was just following to find where the food was. He really didn't care how far away it was, as long as he could bring something back to the others. "We'll get there when we get there."

"It's just a little odd," Nila accused, "That you seem to get food every single day, and make it back to camp before sundown, while we've been traveling almost sixteen hours now, and nothing. Come on. This is bullshit. I'm not an idiot."

"You want to see where the food is?" Tony asked, annoyed. "C'mere."

He led them over to the edge of a hill. JP followed behind, nervous. The hostility between Nila and Tony could spell trouble. Neither of them seemed to possess a demeanor that would allow for compromise.

"See that orchard-like thing down there? There are mango trees and coconuts there. Are you happy?"

JP pressed forward to look down. "Yeah I see it."

"Thank Jesus!" Nila sighed, the first time words that didn't sound like whining passed her lips.

"Listen, Tony, I know you're not thrilled about telling us where this is," JP started, turning to face the older man. "But thanks--"

He felt something hard connect with his head, and fell to the ground unprepared for such a hard blow. He saw Tony drop a large stick onto the ground. JP tried sitting up, but couldn't bring himself to do it.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST DO TONY!" he heard Nila scream in fear. "What the hell?"

JP's head was spinning, but he clearly heard Tony say, "No one's touching my food. You get it bitch? No one!"

He had to lie down. If he could just do that, he could get his head to stop spinning. He saw Tony darting off, back through the jungle towards their camp. "Nila," JP whispered, but there was no response. He lifted his head and saw her dashing down the hill towards the fruit trees, leaving him behind. He fell back onto the ground, his eyes starting to shut. It hurt too much to keep them open.

Struggling to open his eyes one more time, he looked towards the overhanging trees where only thin fragments of light were able to pass through. He could swear he saw black smoke floating over him. It might have been a trick by his warped mind, though, because he certainly didn't smell any smoke.

Drifting off into a comfortable sleep, he felt his entire body start to relax.

Somewhere nearby a woman screamed, loud and long. It broke off into raged whimpers that lasted for some time before silence returned to the jungle. JP didn't care. He just wanted to sleep.

O O O

"Hello?" Stephanie Winters questioned as she picked up the phone, placing down the cartography paper that she'd been doodling aimlessly on. Since watch the report on the missing airplane that had gone down in the Pacific without a trace, her mind had been miles away. It was just so damn Amelia Earhart-esque. Almost like a work of fiction.

"How's my favorite pretty lady in all of Australia?" a deep voice resonated through the other end of the telephone.

She nearly dropped the phone in excitement. "Jonas? Jonas Gault, is that you? Where the hell are you?"

"Fiji!" he shouted, excited. "We just finished the last cruise, and we're heading back to port in Australia tomorrow, barring any further distractions. I wanted to tell you to clear up your schedule approximately four days from today, cause it's been two and a half years since I've seen your face, and I'm taking you out for a night on the town!"

"Agreed, I'll bring you out on the town, but only if you give a cruise around Sydney Harbor on the Kahana like you promised." Stephanie could barely contain her excitement. Jonas Gault was coming home.

"Absolutely. I have at least a month off. Plenty of time to relax and enjoy the homeland."

He kept jabbering on about everything he planned to do once back on the mainland, but she was distracted by the TV. It was another report on Oceanic Flight 815.

"Hey Jonas," she said quickly, interrupting his rambling.

"Yeah Stephie?"

"First of all, never call me that again," she said. "But besides that, on your way home can you do something for me? Are you off the books?"

"Yeah. What do you need?" he asked, intrigued. Jonas never could pass up a good adventure.

"Sail past where that plane crashed last week. See if you can find those people," she said.

The line was silent for a moment. "You want me to find the people on Oceanic Flight 815. Steph, they crashed into the Pacific, probably sank right down to the sea floor. I doubt any of them are alive. What's got you so concerned about them? It's at tragedy, I know, but…"

"I just need you to look for me," she interrupted him. "I feel like there's something more to this story. Something we're not seeing. And if anyone would be the perfect man to figure that out, Jonas, it's you."

* * *

**Sorry, sorry, sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. School is kicking my butt! Once May rolls around I'm hoping to be able to update weekly. Until then, it's gonna be pretty sporadic- we're in the midst of cruch time, and all the senior year projects are getting to be due. I promise, I haven't forgotten about you! I'm way too invested in this story! **

**Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to read, and especially those of you who reviewed: Ciboulette, Northern Wolf, MoonlightGardenias, GreenTeaHoney, Son of Adam (times 2!), Linz96, Hope, DiorNicole, Golden-Black Dragon, Heroine Induced Panic, and Alexa George. You are all fabulous!**

**And now leave you with a request. I need two to three more freighties. Men only please. Also, I am looking for some people from the islands past. Any of the time periods you've seen in flashes thus far are open, but I am especially looking for Dharma/Hostile people. I know it's still pretty early in the story, but I'd like to have them, as several characters will have long standing ties to the groups. If you've only submitted one or two characters, I would love if you submitted another (that way, if I do kill your characters eventually, you won't be left characterless, if that makes any sense at all!).**

**Thanks again, and hopefully the next update will be here for you sooner than later. We're heading back to the midsection, where last we saw, Christian Shephard had made his first appearance... **

**  
Best wishes- Jac  
**


	10. More Submissions

Hey All!

Unfortunately, due to the hecticness of school, I don't think I will be able to update until mid-May (I know, I'm saddened too).

In the meantime, I wanted to post characters I need for upcoming characters. There are FOUR groups of characters I am looking to fill currently. I also made individualized character sheets for each group, to make it a bit easier.

Thank you to everyone who already sent in some extra characters!

Best wishes and happy writing! -Jac

O O O

**1 Dharma Initiative Members (Male, Preferably Loyal Dharma)  
**

Name- First, Last, Nicknames

Age & Birthday-

Gender-

Scientist, Workman, Random-

Did they arrive on the sub recently, or have they been there a while?-

Personality & Attitude- please give lots of details!

Appearance- please give lots of details!

Past- family, friends, history

Strengths & Weaknesses

Friends/Pairings

Enemies

Possessions

Anything Else?

O O O

**3-4 Hostiles (1950's-1970's)**

Name- First, Last, Nicknames

Age & Birthday-

Gender-

Group- Widmore, Alpert, Ellie

Personality & Attitude- please give lots of details!

Appearance- please give lots of details!

Past- family, friends, history

Strengths & Weaknesses

Friends/Pairings

Enemies

Possessions

Anything Else?

O O O

**2 Ajiira Airlines Survivor (1 Male, 1 Female, Team Ilana/Brahm Only)  
**

Name- First, Last, Nicknames, Sawyer Nicknames (if applicable)

Age & Birthday-

Gender-

Group- Survivor: Team Lapidus or Team Illana/Bram

Personality & Attitude- please give lots of details!

Appearance- please give lots of details!

Past- family, friends, history

Reason to be Travelling

Strengths & Weaknesses

Friends/Pairings

Enemies

Possessions

Anything Else?

O O O

Thanks all! You're wonderful! Next chapter will be here as soon as humanly possible!


	11. In a Lost and Lonely Part of Town

**Disclaimer: Lost is not mine! I am not making any money off it! Original characters belong to their respective author. Chapter title is from the song "Tragedy" by the Beegees. The Bachelor, The National Enquirerer, and Alice in Wonderland are also not my property, and belong to the respective copyright owners. Also, the Live Together Die Alone speech is by the writers of Lost. I borrow it here because any attempts at recreating such a speach by me pale in comparison to their powerful words.  
**

**Important Author's Note: Thank you all for your patience with the writing of this chapter. As of Friday, I've completed all my undergraduate coursework, and next weekend I will graduate with my Bachelor of Science, which is quite a thrill. And to repay your for your patience with my writing, I now give you two months of very little to distract me from writing!**

**Special thanks to Hope for catching a whole section that I clearly just glazed over in the editing process. This is what happens when you post chapters at 3 in the morning .Thank you so much for letting me know about the name switch!  
**

**

* * *

  
**

**Chapter Seven  
**

_There is no line between the 'real world' and 'world of myth and symbol.' Objects, sensations, hit with the impact of hallucination._

_-_William S. Burroughs

* * *

"This is the third morning I've seen you sitting down here," Niki heard a familiar voice behind her say. She jumped, half in surprise, half in fear. For as much as she enjoyed Boone's company on the island, she couldn't entirely push aside her memories of Jayce and the pounding of his fist against her face.

Boone smiled as he took a seat next to her. "Are you on the rescue boat lookout for us?"

"Obviously," she replied with a grin.

The sand was still damp from the ebb and flow of the tides, soaking her jeans. Nonchalantly, Niki attempted to move away from him. She needed to keep that comfortable distance between herself and the men on the island. The nightmares of her time with Jayce had resurfaced these past few nights, which was why she was sitting on the waterfront at daybreak. Sleep was impossible.

"Niki, are you okay? Did someone hurt you?" There was genuine concern in his voice.

She was about to give an answer- the same well crafted answer she'd told her sister all those months ago when she'd shown up at home with a restraining order in one hand and a cast on the other- when a scream in the distance distracted her.

"Did you hear that?" she asked, and Boone nodded. They stood silently, eyes fixed on the ocean. In the distance, against the crash of the waves, she heard the shout again. A faint cry for help.

"Go get Jack," Boone said authoritatively. "I was a lifeguard. I'll swim out to her."

Instantly, Niki was running back towards camp, even though her instincts told her to stay with Boone and make sure he was alright swimming out in the ocean. The water had been particularly rough since the tides had changed. She caught a glimpse Charlie heading towards Claire and Mackenzie's tent, looking like he was still in a deep sleep.

"HEY! HEY!" she shouted, shaking Charlie hard. "Go find Jack! There's a woman caught in the riptide!"

His eyes widened, and he bolted up the beach as if a rescue boat had suddenly appeared and was waiting for him. Certain he would find Jack, Niki returned to the waterfront. Farther away now, she could still see the woman's arms flailing, but Boone was lost to the ocean.

"Boone?" she shouted. "BOONE!" Her eyes were glued to the ocean, waiting for a familiar mop of brown hair to surface in the water.

O O O

"Hey! Jay! Can I get a hand?" Michael asked, kneeling in the sand by Katherine's tent.

"Sure man, what's up?" Jay replied, putting down the duffle bag he'd retrieved from the plane wreckage.

"Just trying to get this tarp stabilized on Katherine and Lizzie's tent. Walt's too deep in his comic book to acknowledge the outside world, much less help his old man out."

Jay laughed loudly. "At least your boy is reading. My son can't get his head out of his computer long enough to acknowledge the rest of the world." He replied to Michael confidently, making it seem as if his fictional son really did exist.

Kneeling in the sand, he felt the metal of his 9mm rubbing against his leg. He pulled at his jeans, making sure it was concealed completely. Jay then took the corner of the tarp, holding it rigid as Michael tied it down.

"HELP! JACK! ANYBODY! HELP!" Charlie was careening up the beach, half-tripping over his own feet as he desperately waved his arms. Surprised, Jay let go of the tarp, and it flew past his and Michael's faces, falling off Katherine's tent.

Out of nowhere, Jack appeared, looking haggard. It was clear he was exhausted. "What's the matter? Charlie, what happened?"

"Niki… girl in the water… rip tide…" Charlie managed to gasp, struggling to catch his breath.

Jack was sprinting down the beach toward the water before anything else was said. Glancing quickly at Michael, who nodded in return, they followed behind him. By the time they reached the ocean, Jack was already swimming out to the woman.

"Damnit," Jay muttered. He thought back to the last words his boss had said in Australia.

_Don't let him be a hero, Jay._ The command had been as clear as day. Yet there was Jack, swimming out into the ocean to rescue this woman.

"What's going on?" Jason asked, joining the others where the water met the sand.

"A woman was pulled out in the riptide. Jack is trying to save her."

The two men looked over the water. "I've always been a pretty good swimmer. You think he needs help?"

Jay shook his head. It was senseless risking two lives on this rescue mission. Given the distance the woman had already been pulled out, it didn't seem like she had much of a chance anyway.

"Niki, calm down, sweetheart, it'll be ok. He'll be fine." The older woman, Rose, was trying to calm the tall girl. Jay was almost certain it was the first time he'd heard her speak.

"What's wrong?" Jason asked.

"Boone is somewhere out there. He went in to save that woman, before Jack did." Rose said quietly, arm around the girl's shoulder.

"JACK IS BACK!" a voice cried. The doctor was weighed down by his soaked clothing as he slowly dragged himself out of the water. In his arms, he was carrying a limp figure that he placed on the sand.

"BOONE!" Niki gasped as Jack began performing CPR. Jay looked out to the ocean; the woman's waving arms farther away than before. There was absolutely no chance that Jack could rescue Boone and make it out to the swimmer.

It only required two compressions before Boone was coughing up water. Certain the young man would be fine, Jack headed back for the water. "No Jack!" Jay said, grabbing him by the arm. "You can't! She's too far out."

The doctor struggled to release his arm, but it was only a matter of minutes before the cries faded away, and the flailing arms sank deep into the ocean. In a matter of moments, the small group of survivors had grown even smaller.

With one last look over the water, Jay said a silent prayer for the woman. Turning back toward camp, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man with familiar gray hair retreating back into the jungle. And he was certain Jack had seen him too.

O O O

_The Last Call, located in a run-down part of Sydney not fifteen minutes from the well-known opera house, was not the type of place Jay Langdon expected to find his boss. It looked more like a shack from the earliest part of Sydney's history, when prisoners were still being shipped over from England as a punishment for their crimes. _

_With his head ducked low to avoid notice, Jay slipped into the bar. Christian Shephard was sitting with empty shot glass in hand, talking to a muscular man with long blonde hair. Quietly, he approached them. "This business you have… will it ease your suffering?" the older CIA agent asked._

"_Yeah," the man drawled, his accent thick and Southern._

"_Then what are you doing here?" Christian asked._

"_It ain't that simple," the man replied with a shake of his head._

"_Of course it is," he stated simply. "Unless you want to end up like me, of course it is."_

_Without further word, the Southerner walked away, pushing Jay aside as he rushed out the door. The bartender didn't even complain that he hadn't been paid, merely shrugged his shoulders at another financial loss to an overemotional drunk. _

"_So now you're a spy and a psychologist, sir?" Jay asked, arms folded across his chest. _

"_I was wondering when you'd get here Jay," he replied, spinning around the bar stool to face him. Jay took a seat. _

"_Not that I wouldn't enjoy a vacation, Christian, but why here? Why not meet in the states? DeLorne didn't explain… "_

"_Operation Chimera has been compromised," Christian said, his face indicating just how serious a matter this was. Jay knew his expression must have been entirely blank. Operation Chimera? He'd never heard of such a thing. "Walk with me, Jay. I'll explain everything."_

_They slipped out of the bar, Jay leaving a couple of bills on the counter hoping it would cover for everything his boss and the Southerner had consumed. "What the hell is Operation Chimera, boss?"_

"_I'm sure you're aware of the large-scale cults that developed in the 1970's. Charles Manson. Jim Jones. People thinking they could build utopia, when really they were allowing their lives to be controlled by the cult leader. Mass suicides by drinking arsenic in Kool-Aid. We've been investigating one such incident in the 1970's on a Pacific Island. They were called the Dharma Initiative, a scientific organization. In the late 1980's, they disappeared without a trace. Never heard from again. The island was untraceable; no one could find it or them. Recent mysterious events in the Pacific have encouraged us to start looking again. Thus, Operation Chimera started."_

"_Mysterious events?" _

_Christian shook his head and stopped walking. "The events don't matter. What matters is that someone knows I'm involved in this mission. Someone who doesn't want the secret of Dharma's disappearance to be known."_

_Jay was incredulous. Never since he had joined the CIA had he felt so out of the loop. He prided himself on being acquainted with every mission, of understanding, of being constantly vigilant and aware. "What do you mean…"_

"_They're targeting my family."_

"_Who, Jack?"_

"_No, my daughters. They nearly killed Claire. The car accident looked like it was her fault, but it was a carefully concealed attack by a person I cannot identify. Claire's mother is still in a coma."_

_Jay had no idea that Christian had a daughter, much less two. "So what can we do? Are you passing the mission off to me? Is this why you called me to Australia?"_

"_No," Christian said. "I called you to Australia because I'm going to fake my own death. And I need you to help me."_

O O O

"Aly! Someone…. help Aly!" the man muttered turning onto his side. Katherine felt relief flood through her. It was a good sign, a possibility that he would be returning to consciousness within the next day or so.

Lizzie fidgeted on her lap, jumping onto the ground and running toward the entrance of the tent. "Mommy, I wanna play in the sand!" the little girl said, excitement filling her voice.

"We can't sweetie. Mama has to stay here and make sure the man is alright," she explained gently, turning away from the bed.

The little girl crossed her arms across her chest. _My two year old has an attitude problem, _Katherine thought with both a smile and an eye roll.

"He's asleep mommy. He's not gonna go anywhere. Pleeeeeeeease," she begged, pouting now. "Natty can play with me."

"No Lizzie, Natalie has other things to do than watch you all the time." Katherine felt bad for constantly asking her little girl the first few days on the island. When they were rescued, Katherine was determined to repay the girl. It was the least she could do. "Why don't you play in here with mommy?"

"That's boring!" Lizzie screeched, stomping her foot. A temper tantrum was brewing. Katherine bent down to pick the girl up.

"Don't move!"

Katherine's head snapped around. The man from the jungle was standing on shaky legs, brandishing the piece of metal that had been removed from the marshal's chest just a few days before. "Who the hell are you people? And what did you do to Alice?" he demanded bravely, though it was clear he was still weak from the trauma of the plane crash.

"I… I don't know who Alice is," she said quietly, pulling Lizzie closer to her. Katherine knew she was stronger than the man, but fear overtook her.

_Run. Protect your child and run, _the voice in the back of her head said. Normally she'd listen, but for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to abandon her patient. "My name is Katherine Williams. I'm a pediatrician. I'm part of a group of 50 survivors from the midsection of Oceanic Flight 815. We crashed on this island."

He collapsed back on the bed. "Oh my God. There are more survivors?"

The flap of the tent opened up, and Goodwin appeared. "Katherine, is everything alright in here? Do you need help?"

"Everything's fine," she whispered. "Our patient just woke up, and he was a bit disoriented. Could you grab Jack for me? We need to talk to him, find out what happened to him while he was in the jungle."

Goodwin nodded. "Jack's actually taking care of something with Hurley and Ryan. But Lalah's not doing anything. Want me to grab her? If you want, I could take Lizzie until you're done. I used to babysit my nieces when they were tiny."

_It's ok Katherine. Just calm yourself down. They'll just be outside. It's ok. _

"Sure that'd be great!" she said, trying to sound comfortable with the situation. Goodwin nodded, and took Lizzie by the hand. Katherine turned back to her patient, and began examining him.

"I'm so sorry," he said, dropping the metal onto the ground. "My name is Nathan Rothkranz. I was in the tail section of the plane."

Katherine stopped mid-examination. "That's impossible," she said softly. "We found you in the first class area. The tail of the plane crashed over the water, there were no survivors."

O O O

Jason huddled over his notebook, writing furiously. He crossed out Joanna's name, noting in the margins how she had died. Frankly, it surprised him that the island hadn't wanted Joanna. From all his observations, she seemed like a kind, decent woman. Still, he had less information on her than some of the others. The island obviously knew something that he didn't.

"How's the book coming along, Jason?" he heard Ryan ask.

He snapped the little notebook shut. Ryan and Hurley were approaching him. "Pretty good. I think we might have the next Pulitzer Prize winner right here. I was just writing down what happened this morning."

It wasn't a _complete _lie. Technically, he'd done exactly what he told the two men.

"Dude, what happened this morning sucks. She survived the plane crash, only to get killed swimming. I mean, that could have happened to any of us." They fell silent, and Jason found himself thinking about Hurley's words.

_If only they knew…._

Ryan broke the silence. "So, we're going to check on the provisions and give food and water to everybody. Care to join us?"

Jason nodded, and followed the two across the beach. He followed quietly, taking note of the conversations he heard to add to his notebook later. Ahead of where they walked, he heard an argument.

"Why'd you save me!" Boone shouted at Jack, who was sitting quietly on the beach. The doctor looked about ready to fall over, even though he was already sitting down. "What the hell, man, I was fine out there. You should have saved her!"

"Boone, stop it," Niki hissed. "You were drowning! Jack saved your life!" It was like there were two separate arguments going on, one between Boone and the silent Jack, and one between Niki and the unresponsive Boone.

"Trouble in paradise," Ryan muttered under his breath. It was true- Niki and Boone up to this point had been inseparable.

"You guys check on the water, I'll help them settle this," Jason offered. He had to find out more about this fight.

"You should have saved her!" Boone shouted again. Jack remained silent.

"Guys, come on," Jason said, stepping between Jack and Boone.

"I want an answer! Why did you save me! I was fine!"

"You were drowning!" Jack finally responded loudly. Jason saw Jay coming over to help stop the argument. _This is ridiculous._

"This isn't helping!" Niki shouted, her brow creased. The fighting was obviously upsetting her. Unfortunately, Boone was so wrapped up in the belief he was right, he hadn't noticed.

"SHUT UP NIKI!" Boone shouted.

The young woman looked like a deer in the headlights, a mix of shock and terror crossing her face. She lifted a hand and punched Boone. Jason knew his jaw had dropped. He expected a slap, not a surprisingly powerful right hook. "Jack didn't save her. But you didn't either, asshole." She turned on one heel and stalked across the beach, passing Hurley and Ryan who were quickly coming back from the supply check.

"Jack, we have a problem!" Ryan said. "The water is almost gone. There's barely enough to get through all of today. What should we do?"

Jason watched as Jack's eyes stared blankly into the jungle. _What is he seeing?_ he wondered. There was nothing there.

"Dude, what should we do?" Hurley pressed.

"I don't know," Jack said. "There's something I have to do."

He stood and ran toward the jungle, leaving the three men staring after him. "Where did Jack go?" Jay asked, finally reaching the group. Jason shrugged his shoulders, and watched as Ryan and Hurley did the same. "Alright then, I'll follow him."

O O O

"First thing you're going to do when you leave the island?" Brad asked, continuing the game of random question he and Claire began earlier that morning. He relished the feeling of the sand between his toes as they walked at the edge of the jungle. Rehab may have been the first step of kicking his drug habit, but being trapped on this island had forced him to make good on his vow to live a clean, sober life.

Not to mention that spending time with Claire helped to pass the time just a little bit quicker.

"Getting this baby out of me, and then eating an entire jar of peanut butter. In that order," the tiny blonde said, smiling. It looked forced, and she was panting heavily.

"Hey, Claire. Are you alright?" Brad asked, concerned.

She shrugged it off. "Nah, everything's fine. Just, you know, pregnant. My turn. What's your astrological sign?"

"Taurus."

"Ha! I knew it!" she exclaimed, stopping for a moment to catch her breath. "I'm really… really quite good with… with that sort of thing."

Brad took her arm. "Claire, why don't we sit?" he insisted. The sun was brutal, and it was clearly starting to affect her.

"I told you I'm…" Claire never finished her sentence, passing out. Quickly, Brad moved to grab her, lying her down on the beach.

"HELP! I need some water!" he shouted as loudly. "I need help!"

"Claire!" he heard Mackenzie shout. The brown haired woman ran through the sand, falling to her knees at her cousin's side. "What the hell! Walking around with her in this heat? She's pregnant you idiot! You of all people should know that pregnant woman need special care. If she's hurt, I'm holding you responsible, you stupid son of a bitch. Why don't you go take care of your own kid for once, instead of playing wannabe island heartthrob?"

Brad backed away quickly, even though deep down he wanted to stay at Claire's side. Mackenzie was on a rampage, fire burning in her eyes. He knew when to leave well enough alone.

"I'm gonna go get some water, dude," Hurley said, heading back toward the tent where it was being stored.

"Mackenzie, move over," Michael said. "We'll bring Claire up to the medical tent. It's shady there, it'll help her cool down. Katherine can take a look at her." Sayid and Ryan helped lift Claire up, and moved to the tent.

"Where's Jack?" the Australian girl demanded. "Where's the doctor?"

Sawyer finally made his presence known. "Nobody knows, MacNugget Now git up there and take care of your cousin." With a scowl, he turned to Brad. "Nice job there, Slick. That's no way to treat a lady. But wait, you never did, did you? Leavin' your woman while she was pregnant for skanky rejects from 'The Bachelor.'"

Sawyer was pushing. Brad knew he was trying to draw him into a fight. Well he wasn't going to let him. He had to make sure Claire was alright. "It's good to know you're up-to-date on reading the National Enquirer, Sawyer."

Brad forced himself to run up the beach, where he saw Hurley, Ryan, Locke, and Jason gathered in a small circle.

"What's the matter?" he asked, struggling to catch his breath just as Claire had a few minutes ago. He may have looked muscular and fit, but it had been a few years since he'd gone on a good, long run.

Ryan frowned. "The water is missing. Someone took it."

"Well what are you gonna do? How are we going to help Claire?" Brad demanded.

"I'm going into the jungle to look for water. We're going to have to do it at some point anyway, bottled water won't last forever," Locke said. "Jason, why don't you come with me?"

Jason looked surprised to be asked. "Sure… sure, of course I will."

"The rest of you, don't spread this around camp. We don't want to start a panic. We'll be back soon." Locke indicated Jason should follow, and the two left.

Brad looked over at the medical tent, where Claire lay still. He saw Mackenzie shooting him a dirty look. Shaking his head, knowing that he was unwelcome, he walked away with his hands in his pockets to find Natalie and Chris.

O O O

_Looking out the window of the dimly lit funeral home that smelled of mothballs and musk, Jay adjusted the silk tie around his neck. Behind him, two sets of knuckles cracked, making him jump. _

_"You sure this is the best way to handle the situation, Christian?" Jay asked, still hesitant._

_The older man nearly smiled, though the depth of sadness in his eyes was insurmountable. "Jay, this is the only way. Those people are on to me. Someday you, and my son and daughter, will understand why this had to happen. Jack can think I'm a drunk, a murderer, whatever he wants. I'm going to keep my family safe."_

_Outside, the rumbling of a car engine could be heard. Pushing aside the dust-covered white eyelet curtain, he saw a rented black town car pull into the parking lot. _

_"Sir," Jay said to his mentor, "I'd like to formally protest this course of action. I do this out of duty, not because I have confidence in this plan. There has to be a better way."_

_"There isn't," Christian said as he lifted the lid of the coffin. "But consider your protest duly noted. Is this equipped?"_

_"Oxygen mask is under the pillow. There's a side pocket with your arms, radio, and cell phone. Tómas will make sure you get something to eat before you're loaded into the cargo hold."_

_Outside, the muffled sound of a door slamming was heard. Christian lifted himself up into the coffin, resting his head against the pillows. "How do I look dead?"_

_"Worse than you did when you were alive, sir. You never were much to look at."_

_"I'm sure my wife would appreciate that," Christian replied with a smirk. His face suddenly turned serious. "Don't let him be a hero, Jay. Be safe. Both of you."_

_Jay slammed the coffin shut just moments before Jack Shephard entered the room. _

_"Good afternoon, you must be Dr. Shephard. I'm Elliot Fox, we spoke on the phone. Before we take care of the rest of the details, would you like to view the body? I can give you a few moments alone…"_

_"No. I'll take the body now," Jack said. The young doctor had changed, Jay noticed. His face was drawn, eyes sunken. Stress or overwork, he wasn't sure which, was taking a heavy toll._

_Jay directed two of his associates to wheel the coffin outside to one of the hearses. "How much is he gonna cost?" Jack asked brusquely, the disdain he felt for his father evident._

_"You've already traveled far enough to recover the body, Mr. Shephard. There is no cost. Just take him home, and be with your family. That's what matters right now." _

_Jack nodded, replacing the pristine black leather wallet in his back pocket. The two men shook hands, and as Jack left to join the hearse driver on the trip to the airport, Jay called out, "Mr. Shephard, I'm sorry for your loss!"_

_Secretly he hoped both father and son had heard. _

O O O

Jack was moving much quicker than Jay had expected. Every sign indicated the doctor was suffering from fatigue and exhaustion. Through brush and bramble, and the densest foliage which drooped down from heavily laden branches, Jay followed Jack noiselessly.

What was he following? The doctor was searching for something. Deeper and deeper they went into the jungle. "Damnit, where are you?" he heard Jack shout, stopping for a moment. Then he ran some more.

_Some mission this turned out to be, _Jay thought. Christian had failed to mention just how much of a hero complex Jack had.

Suddenly, a shout, and Jack disappeared. Moving into the open, he saw a cliff, a vine hanging over it with Jack's hand gripping it. Jay moved to help him, but then he heard a familiar voice shout, "JACK! Hold on!"

Locke emerged from the jungle, Jason following close behind. Jay ducked back behind a tree. He felt a chill come over him. Something felt off about this miraculous appearance of the two men.

"We've got you!" Jason called over the edge of the cliff. Easily, the two pulled the doctor back up.

"Thanks," he mumbled. "What are you doing out here?"

"Searching for water," Locke replied. "Why are you out her alone?"

Jack paused, as if wondering if he should say what he was really doing. "Have you ever chased something? Something you know doesn't exist anymore?"

"Sounds like you have your very own white rabbit Jack. Like Alice in Wonderland," Locke replied. "I know you think you're going crazy. But you're not. The crazy think they're getting sane. You know you're probably just hallucinating; you're a doctor, that's the medical reason. But two days ago, I was attacked by that… thing… when I was hunting. And I looked into the eye of the island, and what I saw was beautiful. This is a special place. Now get back to camp and rest. You know better than anyone that that's what you need."

"Let me come with you, I'll help find water. You and Jason need all the help you can get," Jack insisted.

"Just go back to camp Jack. The people need a leader. I know you don't think you can do it, but I have faith in you. Go back and take care of yourself. There's no sense in working yourself to the ground before we get rescued," Locke replied with an all-knowing, peculiar smile that had become almost his trademark. It was omniscient, as if he knew exactly when and where rescue would arrive.

Something was off- very off. Jay could feel it in the pit of his stomach, and he knew for a fact that his gut instinct was rarely incorrect. Grasping his ankle gently, he felt his 9 mm, which provided him a sense of comfort in this mysterious jungle. He didn't draw it yet, knowing that it was important to understand the entire situation, understand just _what _was making him feel uneasy. That was what the CIA had taught him: ask questions first, and then shoot. It was the only way to get answers out of the world's most dangerous criminals.

From where he hid, Jay saw Jack moving back towards camp. _Good, _he thought. The man was a danger to himself right now, and would be of no use to anyone until someone convinced him that it was permissible for him to sleep. In the opposite direction, he saw Jason and Locke heading back into the jungle.

Certain they would not hear him, he emerged from his hiding spot. Quietly he followed them for five minutes, ten minutes, deeper and deeper into the jungle.

Finally, it hit Jay why everything was so off. Their clothes. They were different than what they'd been wearing earlier in the day on the beach. It wouldn't have bothered him so much, as Claire, Natalie, and Lalah had done a good job of sorting through the wreckage and pulling out usable clothes. So what, the two men had changed clothes.

But the clothes were dirty, damaged. Jason's jeans were ripped up- and not the perfectly paced designer rips. Rather, it looked like something had attacked him. Locke's shirt was a muddy mess. It looked as if they'd been wearing these clothes for days.

It didn't make sense.

"Should we wait for the others?" Jason asked Locke. "That was close."

"Definitely," Jay heard the older man mumble, taking a seat on a fallen log. Jay ducked behind a tree, unwilling to reveal himself. Who were they waiting for? What had been close besides Jack's near death?"

"All I know," Jason said, sound disheartened, "Is that I want answers. I want to know what all this light business is about. Do you think Fara—"

Suddenly, Jason fell silent. Deeper in the jungle, Jay could hear the now-familiar clicking noise. He emerged, prepared to warn the two that the jungle beast was coming. But Locke and Jason were gone.

"Looking for someone?" a deep male voice asked.

"It's about damn time you showed up boss," Jay replied, staring straight into the eyes of Christian Shephard.

O O O

She saw the exchange happen, and she was determined. With her eagle-sharp eyes continuing to observe his actions, Mia stomped down the beach toward Sawyer, who had just given two bottles of water to the Korean people.

She wasn't stupid. She watched. Ryan and Hurley's actions when they opened the cooler in the tent had made it obvious. The water bottles were quickly running out. And she was almost certain she overheard Locke and Jason talking about "missing water" when they went parading into the jungle.

"What's with the stampede?" she heard a disinterested voice ask from the sand. Mia looked down and saw Shannon working on a crossword puzzle. The blonde placed her pen down momentarily, and slapped a bug that was crawling on her leg.

"Sawyer has water. And I want some."

"Good luck with that," she replied. "What are you gonna pay him with?"

Mia smirked. "Payment? Who needs payment when you have tears?"

"A guy like Sawyer doesn't fall for tears. He's a con artist, a much better one than you will ever be. Hell,he's better than I am, and I've been conning my idiot brother since we were kids. So. Whatcha gonna pay him with?"

No one except her dad had ever criticized her conning skills before. She was going to prove to Little Miss Fake-Blonde that she didn't need her advice, or her critique. And across the beach, Mia saw exactly how she would prove that she was the best con artist on the beach.

"I told you," she said over her shoulder, "I don't need payment. Sayid!"

The Iraqi man turned to face her. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I do not know your name yet."

She smiled sweetly. "It's Mia. Mia Prince. Listen, I heard about the water disappearing. I know where you can find it. Sawyer gave the Korean man two bottles before. He's hoarding it in his tent. I don't want to cause trouble or anything, but I saw Claire pass out before, and I know she needs it more than any of us. And I'm… I'm just so thirsty…"

An angry look crossed Sayid's face, and for a moment Mia wondered if this was the wrong approach. "Are you sure you saw him with the water bottles?" he asked seriously.

"Positive," she responded.

Sayid looked toward the sky, as if asking for some sort of divine intervention that would cause Sawyer to hand over the water bottles without question. Both Mia and Sayid knew that would never happen. Once he had collected himself, Sayid made his way toward Sawyer. Mia turned around and smirked again at Shannon.

"Give me the water," Sayid ordered.

"I ain't got no more water, Ali," Sawyer drawled, kicking his feat up onto a suitcase as he reclined in the plane seat.

"Really, because Mia saw you give two bottles to the Korean couple. Would you like to explain, or will I be forced to make you explain?"

Force? Mia hadn't expected force. She just wanted Sayid to get her a water bottle.

"Whatcha gonna do, go all Guantanamo Bay on my ass Muhammad?"

A dark look crossed over Sayid's face, as if the words struck him all too close to home. "Just give me the water, Sawyer."

"Can't. Traded my last two bottles for a fish from Jackie Chan. I ain't stupid, but I'm an optimist. It's gotta rain eventually."

Sayid turned away, walking quickly. "I'm sorry, Sayid. I saw him with the water." Mia apologized as sweetly as she could.

"It's not your fault. At least you're trying to help out around here," he said before walking away from her as fast as he could. Mia could see Shannon smirking at her from behind her bug-eyed sunglasses.

O O O

Lalah closed her eyes and counted to ten. Her head was spinning. A man from the front section, claiming to be from the tail of the plane. Other people, bad people, on the island. Was it amnesia? A concussion?

"I'm telling you, I was in the tail section of the plane. I was traveling home from a business conference with my friend Gavin. When the plane crashed, we landed in the ocean. We swam ashore. The first night, these people came out of the jungle and attacked us. They tried to take Aly, but I stopped the guy. He took me instead. They got this British girl too, her name was Alice. They held us in these huge cages, and that's the last thing I remember."

Lalah sighed. It didn't make sense. The tail was destroyed, exploded and fell into the ocean. It was impossible that anyone survived.

"I think you're trying to rationalize things, Nathan," Katherine said softly. "I minored in psychology as an undergraduate. When we can't understand what's happening to us, when we're missing bits and pieces of our memory, sometimes we believe that the dreams we dreamed are real life. I think your remembering people from the airport, names you heard there. There was no tail section, you were unconscious, probably experiencing some sort of extended dream."

Nathan gaped at the two women, clearly doubting them. "You really don't believe me? You're not even going to try and look for the others? There are twenty-five other people out in the jungle, and you're just going to leave them to be attacked by… by the _Others._ What is this?"

"Katherine, go get Niki and Boone," Lalah asked quietly. "I think we need to get the story about finding Nathan. Why they went back to the cockpit."

She just wanted this settled. She wanted to return to her tent, where she'd been sitting quietly in mourning for her wife since the memorial ceremony. She needed to grieve, just for a little while. Life on the island could wait a day or so, couldn't it?

Katherine returned shortly, Niki and Boone following like small children. Lalah noticed the two were keeping a distance between them. "How did you two find Nathan?"

"Nathan, is that your name? Sorry man, thought your name was Dmitry. We thought we found your wallet," Boone said with confidence. Lalah noticed how Katherine's face blanched at the mention of the name Dmitry. "Niki found Nathan when she went to the plane with Jack and Kate to get the transceiver. When they were attacked, they had to leave him behind. Niki and I went back to save him. Simple as that."

"What are you doing?" Niki hissed at him, betrayal written on her face. "You were there, you _know _what happened."

"Niki?" Lalah coerced, trying to get the woman to tell her side of the story.

"I found a person in the front section. But Nathan isn't that man. And Boone knows it. I told him so the day we brought him back. There is another man out there in the jungle, he was injured and needed help. I doubt he's even alive anymore. But I can tell you, with confidence, Nathan was nowhere near the plane when Jack, Kate and I were there."

Nathan's face brightened. "See! _She _knows the truth!"

"C'mon Niki. You were panicking when you left the plane that day. You were under attack. And the jungle is dark. It's totally possible that you just didn't recognize Nathan's face in the cockpit. You were stressed, things seemed different. It was Nathan all along."

Niki looked close to tears, and Lalah wanted to give the girl a hug. Boone made an excellent point, but he was being a complete and total ass to her, talking to her like she was twelve years old. Without saying a word, the girl stormed out of the tent.

"Trust me Nathan. You were in the front section of the plane," Boone said.

Somehow, Lalah was starting to doubt the truth of that statement. But for the sake of peace at the camp, and in the face of all the evidence she had before her, she had to believe it.

O O O

_As dusk fell over the funeral parlor, a torrential rainstorm began to fall, turning the parking lot into a lake. It was into that body of water that a taxi had half-driven and half-floated about half an hour after Jay had called._

_Ducking his head, he ignored the water seeping up the legs of his pants. He opened the door of the vehicle and took a seat._

_"Where to sir?" a female voice with a heavy Russian accent asked. Her hair was blonde and cropped; her clothing looked more like a gypsy than a driver. _

_"Sydney Airport, please," he replied, tying to brush the droplets of water out of his hair. The driver nodded her head, and began to drive carefully. Jay took the opportunity to look at her licensing papers, a habit he'd picked up from Christian. Know your enemy, and expect them in the most common of places. _

_After scanning the documents, he took comfort that Anastasia Petrov was, in fact, a legitimate cab driver. _

_In silence, she navigated the deserted streets of Sydney. Finally, he heard her speak. "You're from Sydney, correct?" _

_He was about to say no, when he remembered that he'd been speaking all day with an Australian accent, part of his Elliot Fox ruse. "Yes I am."_

_"I am looking for my younger sister. Elodie is her name. I know there are many people in Sydney, and it's unlikely, but have you ever met woman by that name with a heavy Russian accent?" She looked back at him through the rear view mirror, dark brown eyes mysteriously haunted._

_"I'm sorry, I've never met anyone by that name," Jay replied emphatically. _

_"It was worth a shot, was it not?" She smiled slightly, and her eyes disappeared from the mirror. Jay felt vaguely disappointed. "I have not seen her in many years, and I have something to give her. Just a few more minutes, sir, and we will be at the airport."_

_They remained in silence the rest of the journey._

O O O

"You were expecting me?" Christian asked, smiling eerily. "For all you knew, I died in the crash."

Jay sighed, relieved to have finally found his partner and boss. _Now _they could start working on some sort of rescue attempt. Christian could lead them. "I saw you yesterday. At the edge of the jungle watching Jack and the camp."

"Of course I was there. Had to make sure you were all doing alright."

"Why don't you come back to camp and see for yourself," he suggested. "I've been trying to keep Jack from being a hero, just like you asked. You didn't tell me how difficult that would be. If you come back, explain to him what happened, maybe that would help. We could organize some sort of rescue mission…"

Christian shook his head, leaning against a tree trunk. "It's not that simple, Jay. Things must stay as they are now. It's the only way."

"The only way?" Jay heard himself shout back, annoyed. Never before had he doubted a superior officer, and he never would have dreamed of yelling at him. But Christian's actions in Australia combined with his refusal do offer any help to the plane survivors angered him immensely. "We're running out of clean water. There's a pregnant girl who's going to give birth on this island if we don't get off soon. A woman _died _this morning. And the 'only way' is for you to stay hidden in the woods. Bullshit, sir."

The older man stared at him, his face emotionless. "You will return to camp and not mention seeing me. That's an order, Jay. When the time is right, we will tell Jack that I'm alive. If you want to keep the other survivors safe, these are the actions you have to take."

A cool breeze whipped through the jungle, shaking the leaves of the tree. There was a loud crack above Jay's head, as if a branch was breaking. Looking up, he moved out of the way. When he returned his eyes to Christian, the older man was gone.

O O O

"Goodwin! Hey Goodwin!" Natalie shouted. The older man was walking into the jungle with Lizzie. He jumped in surprise as his name was called. Near where they stood, there was a rustling in the jungle of something running away. "What are you two doing?"

"We… we saw a little animal. An opossum or something. Not sure which. We were going to follow it," Goodwin explained, his face animated, but still clearly surprised.

Natalie smiled. "Sorry for scaring you. It's just that Sayid was looking for people who could start a second water-searching party. I saw you got stuck watching Lizzie, and figured you might want to do something a bit more interesting."

Goodwin laughed, running a hand through his hair. "You didn't want to search for water?"

"Trust me, I asked. And was shot down tend seconds later. Go help them, Lizzie and I will entertain ourselves."

The older man glanced once more into the jungle. "Be careful you two," he said. "I'll be back later."

O O O

Mackenzie sighed in her sleep, turning onto her side. Now that Claire was comfortably asleep, she felt less guilty catching a nap herself. Sleep, though, was not coming. Not when she had so many things to worry about.

There was movement in the medical tent. A person besides her and Claire. She assumed it was Katherine or Jack, and she rolled again. _Come on sleep. I won't be any use around here tomorrow if I don't get at least a nap._

"Claire," a voice hissed. It sounded like Boone. "Claire!"

"Wha…. What?" Mackenzie heard her cousin reply. "Where'd you get this from?"

She opened her eyes and looked up. It was Boone. And in his hand was a bottle of water. "It doesn't matter where I found it. Just drink it."

Unable to ignore that Boone had stolen the water, Mackenzie stood up. "What are you doing with the water?" she said as loud as she could.

"Hey, I was just holding onto it…" Boone backed out of the tent, back into the open.

"Hoarding it is more like it! What right do you have to steal the water from the rest of us? Claire could have died!"

A crowd was growing now, watching the show down. "Someone had to take control. It was just sitting there, and Jack ran, so I decided to ration it."

"Really, pretty boy? Was that you're solution?" Brad asked gruffly, grabbing Boone by the collar of his shirt. "You allowed Claire to almost die. Any of the kids could have gotten sick. Then what? When were you planning on handing out your water rations?"

"It got out of control! I wanted to… no one would have understood!"

"Damn straight we wouldn't," Mackenzie said, shoving Boone as hard as she could. She'd never been a fighter, but she had to let her anger out somehow. Boone made himself an easy target.

"STOP! Leave him alone!" Jack emerged from the jungle, his voice resonating across the beach. Mackenzie had to admit she was impressed that with just four words, all heads had snapped to attention. He took a place at the center of the circle of survivors.

"It's been six days and we're all still waiting. Waiting for someone to come. But what if they don't? We have to stop waiting. We need to start figuring things out. A woman died this morning just going for a swim and he tried to save her, and now you're about to crucify him? We can't do this. Everyman for himself is not going to work. It's time to start organizing. We need to figure out how we're going to survive here. Now, I found water. Fresh water, up in the valley. I'll take a group in at first light. If you don't want to go come then find another way to contribute. Last week most of us were strangers, but we're all here now. And god knows how long we're going to be here. But if we can't live together, we're going to die alone."

The words rolled over in her head. Live together, die alone. Holding out a hand, Mackenzie helped Boone stand up, knowing that with time, she would be able to forgive him. Right now, though, she had to take care of Claire.

O O O

"So how does it feel being the most hated man in camp?" Niki heard Sawyer taunt Boone as she returned to her tent.

"Go shove it, Sawyer," she interjected, stepping between the two men.

The surly blonde haired southerner walked away. "Thanks," Boone muttered, looking out over the water.

"I didn't do that for you. I did that for the camp, because we don't need another brawl. All we do in this camp is fight, and I'm sick of it.. So don't let it go to your head, Boone. It wasn't for you," she said sharply.

He sighed. "I just wanted to be the hero. Do something good for the camp."

"And that required throwing me under the bus with Lalah and Katherine? It's good to know where your feelings lie."

"Niki—"

"You know you're just like my ex-boyfriend," she said, needing to get the words off her chest. She could hear the bitterness, the anger and disdain, dripping from her voice. "He wanted to be a hero too."

Boone snorted. "Oh yeah, and what was he really?"

"The villain."

O O O

_Jay jumped at the feeling of the cell phone vibrating in his pocket, drawing the attention of the woman standing in line behind him at the airport coffee shop. "Hello?"_

_"Jay, this is Shephard. I want to fill you in on that new mission I was telling you about. I'm texting you a picture right now of a woman. As soon as you get Jack safely back to the states, your mission will be to find her. I believe she will be on the same flight as you today."_

_"What can you tell me about her?" Jay asked._

_"Her name is Ekaterina 'Katya' Ivanov, commonly known as Anya Vorovov. She's a Russian spy, and incredibly dangerous. We've been tracking her movements for some time, but as of late they've become erratic. We don't know what she's planning, and we need to remedy that."_

_"Sure thing boss, just send me the picture and we'll be set. Over and out."_

_Jay waited patiently with his cell phone in his hand. It vibrated again, indicating the arrival of a text message. Flipping the phone open, he saw a gorgeous woman, in her late twenties or early thirties with long brown hair. Her skin was dark olive, and she was lithe and fit._

_But it wasn't those characteristics that drew Jay to the picture. It was the eyes. Deep brown and haunted, he knew he'd seen them before, in the rearview window of an Australian taxi._

O O O

"You feeling alright Jack?" Jay asked calmly, preparing himself to lie. "Haven't seen much of you around camp all day today."

"Just taking care of some things," Jack replied nonchalantly. Jay stared at him, hoping to elicit more. "Sorry man, not feeling talkative. My father died, you know. That's why I was in Sydney."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Jay tried to sound surprised, sympathetic. It came out hollow.

"Yeah," Jack said. "I'm sorry too."

Leaving Jack to his thoughts, Jay decided it was just time to go to bed. At the edge of the woods, Christian stood looking over his son.

Jay ignored him.

* * *

**So I know that this chapter was a lot of Jay and Jack, but many of the seemingly less significant plots are setting up for events later in the season. Thank you all again for continuing to read and review. I'm not going to attempt to list everyone here, since between reviews and new characters there's just a lot to sift through, but know that they are greatly appreciated. **

**Character spots are still open, so if you would like to submit one, please see the previous chapter! Character sheet is now updated with the exception of one.  
**

**Thanks again for your continued patience and support, and best wishes to all! Jac  
**


	12. All That You Got, Burn It On The Spot

**Disclaimer: Lost is so not mine. The characters belong to the respective authors that created them. Anything that seems vaguely like a pop culture reference belongs to the owner of said pop culture reference. Thank you to Golden-Black Dragon for writing parts of Brad's flashbacks. Chapter title comes from the song "Just To Get High" by Nickelback.**

* * *

**Chapter Eight  
**

"Just cause you got the monkey off your back, doesn't mean the circus has left town"

-George Carlin

* * *

Oliver muffled a moan, biting his lip hard. Waves of pain rushed over him as he gripped his foot. _Damned airplane, _he thought. Blood dripped down his toes where the shard of metal had pierced the skin. He wished he had his sneakers, but he'd hidden them a half mile back in order to keep his steps quiet. Sneaking about was an acquired talent, and an accomplishment Oliver was proud of.

At the edge of the jungle, he finally encountered the mid-section camp. He was almost impressed- they'd managed to build a functional camp. Not that that really mattered. They wouldn't be staying there long. As soon as Jason and Goodwin finished their observations, lists could be made. Then life could return to normal and the island would be safe.

That is, life would return to normal if Goodwin didn't keep fucking around.

He spotted the man in question buzzing around the tent of a teenage girl with a scowl on her face. Cupping his hands around his face, he imitated a bird call loudly. Goodwin jumped in surprise, as did the girl.

"What do you think that was?" the girl asked nervously, though her face remained stoic.

"I'll go find out." Goodwin was reassuring as ever. Walking into the jungle, he caught Oliver's eyes. "How are things, Ollie?" he asked, carefree. Louder, he called out, "It's alright Mia. Just a bird! I'm gonna head back to the beach camp!"

"Later Goodwin," she called back.

Oliver rolled his eyes, and nodded for Goodwin to follow him. Ben had distinctly told the spies not to get involved. Stay on the outskirts, just observe the survivors. Goodwin had ignored that, and was risking the mission and the island. In Oliver's book, that was unacceptable.

"What's up Ollie?" Goodwin asked.

Oliver's temper flared up, and he punched the other man as hard as he could. Goodwin staggered backwards. "What the hell, man? You contact Madelyn without telling anyone else and try to kidnap the little girl? Everyone knows Madelyn'll do anything to impress Ben. You took advantage of her. And don't even get me started on the fact that we're completely unprepared to deal with these people, should they realize they're not alone on the island. God, I don't understand why Ben picked you for this mission."

"I'm doing what I think needs to be done. I don't need you, or Jason, or anyone else telling me how to act. I will do what needs to be done, and it'll be done my way."

"Listen you son of a bitch," Oliver growled, grabbing Goodwin by the collar. "Don't you dare fuck this up. There's too much at stake. You'll do what Ben says. Now get back to camp, and remember what I said."

He dropped Goodwin, and slipped back into the woods. Hopefully Juliet would be around to help clean up the cut on his foot.

O O O

"Dad, it's your turn," Chris said softly, staring at the white pawns on the backgammon board. Brad continued to gaze upon his own black pawns, afraid that if he looked over at Chris, they might have to make some sort of conversation. He never knew what to say to the little boy. Every topic seemed taboo, nothing quite appropriate to tell a seven year old.

_There's a conversation starter… 'Hey Chris, wanna hear about the time your dad got high and had a ménage a trios.'_

"Dad? Dad are you gonna move?"

He looked up quickly, attempting a smile. "Sure thing, buddy," he said, injecting as much enthusiasm into the words as he could. Rolling the two die, he got double fours. He moved two pieces forward equally.

"You're up."

Silence reigned again, and Brad knew he had to escape. He couldn't be a dad. He hadn't been ready when Ari had told him she was pregnant almost eight years ago. Hell, he wasn't ready now.

White pawns moved, black pawns moved, back and forth, and still Brad and Christopher did not speak. "I win," Chris said finally.

"Good job kiddo," Brad said, trying to sound impressed. He was pretty sure it failed miserably.

_Now, how do I avoid round two? _Brad wondered. At the edge of the jungle, he saw Jack and Natalie. Jack was packing a bag with empty water bottles. Glancing at the ground, he saw Chris's water bottle was nearly empty. _Water run? That should take a while, and at least I'll be doing something useful. Not bad! And I can ask Natalie to watch Chris._

"You're almost out of water, buddy. How 'bout I go get us a fresh supply? That sound good? Maybe you could teach Natalie how to play while I'm gone!"

Chris frowned, but he drank the water that was left and handed Brad the bottle. Quickly, Brad walked away, unable to deal with the look of disappointment in his son's eyes. The kid deserved a better father than him.

O O O

_The island was large, covered in dense jungle- trees and vines and shrubs. From the kayak, Brad stumbled onto a pure, untouched beach that just begged to be developed into the latest celebrity resort. It was paradise, it was heaven, it was… on fire?_

_In the distance, a coil of smoke was rising from the jungle. Brad felt himself drawn to it, to its peculiar scent. It wasn't that normal, smoky smell. It was spiced, heavy, like a drug. _

_He moved to follow the smoke, and watched as the end of the coil drew back, almost like an army retreating. Brad stopped, and the smoke stopped moving. One step, and the smoke retreated again. It was a game of follow the leader, one that he found himself willing to play. Deeper and deeper they moved into the jungle, the vines strangling the trees and the path._

_"Save us Brad…" _

_It was a woman's voice, light and airy, floating through the trees. She was nearby. Instinct told him to stop, and he carefully observed his surroundings, pushing his long black hair out of his face. A blonde haired woman, holding a newborn in her arms, stood in the midst of the smoke. The features of her face were indiscernible. "Don't let him be raised by another… save me… save Aaron… save Christopher…"_

_She retreated with the smoke, deeper and deeper into the jungle. "Wait!" he cried, though he knew it was useless. Brad started running faster and faster, praying he wouldn't lose sight of them. He didn't know why it was so important, didn't know who she was, but he knew he could lose her like he had Ari. Somehow, he knew that she was too precious to be abandoned, too precious to be left for dead. _

_"Find me at the temple, Brad… I'll be waiting for you there… save us… save us all…"_

_Brad shot up in his bed, panting and sweating, the blankets tangled about his legs. The moonlight through the curtained window reflected off the clean white walls of the Australian rehabilitation facility. The phone on the bedside table was ringing. _

_"Jesus Christ, it's three in the morning," he answered gruffly, even though he was wide awake. _

_"I'm looking for Brad Donegan," the woman on the other end replied tersely. "My name is Polly Gabreel. I'm with the Australian child protective services."_

_"Wait… what?" he stuttered. Child protective services? He was never around kids, and frankly, that was a-ok with him._

_"Mr. Donegan, are you aware your ex-wife attempted suicide two nights ago?" _

_Brad said nothing, shocked. He hadn't heard from Ari in years, not since the night she took their two year old son by the hand and walked out the door. What the hell was she doing in Australia?_

_"No, I didn't know."_

_"Well then, I guess you also don't know that you now have custody of your son, Christopher. Until it is determined that Arianna is no longer a threat to herself, the boy must stay with you."_

O O O

"Hi Dr. Shephard!" Natalie said cheerfully, dropping her backpack on the ground. "I heard you're going to fill water bottles. Can I help?"

_Please say yes, please say yes, _she thought. They'd been on the island over a week; rescue had to be coming soon. She refused to lose hope. She also refused to leave the island without getting to know her father. Hiking in the woods would give her a chance to get him alone.

"I don't know Natalie, it's a long hike and the bottles are gonna be heavy once they're filled. I can't let you get hurt, you're parents would kill me when you get home. And we still don't know what's out there."

She frowned. "Please Jack? My parents used to take me hiking up in the mountains; I know I can handle it."

He still looked wary. She wanted to argue her case, but before she got a chance, Brad approached the group. "Hey Jack! Filling water bottles? I'll come with you. Natalie, could you watch Chris for me?"

Natalie cringed. _I hate my life… _The idea of watching the kids again was wholly unappealing. Why didn't they ask Mia every once in a while? She did absolutely nothing useful around camp!

"Actually, Natalie's coming with us," Jack said, grinning at her reaction to Brad's request. "But you're more than welcome to join us."

Brad nodded, "Give me a second and I'll be ready. I'll see if Hurley or McKenzie minds keeping an eye on Chris."

"Thanks Dr. Shephard," Natalie said, packing the empty bottles in her bag.

"You know, you can call me Jack. Everyone else does," Jack said, zipping his own backpack.

_I'd rather call you dad… _

O O O

If there was one positive to island life, Jay decided, it was the crystal clear water that surrounded the beach. Diving underwater, he closed his eyes, allowing himself just thirty seconds of relaxation. He felt all the tension in his body wash away. He forgot Jack, forgot Christian, forgot the façade that was Elliot Fox.

The need for air overtook him, and he emerged from the water. He glanced around him quickly before he exited the water. The coast was clear. Jay walked through the water towards his clothes, which were laying on a rock. After drip-drying a few moments, he pulled his jeans on.

"Damn double-oh-seven, what happened to you?" Sawyer drawled, appearing from seemingly nowhere. "Looks like one of them polar bears attacked you."

Jay stifled a groan. Part of it was because Sawyer's apparent new nickname for him hit so close to home. The other was that he hated people seeing his scars. His chest and back were covered in them. Granted, it came with his line of work, and each had a particular story that he kept close to his heart. But when people saw them, it lead to questions, and that lead to more lies. He told so many damned lines.

"Tractor accident, when I was a kid," he replied to Sawyer.

"Hate to see what you did to the tractor," The blonde haired man was staring at him, as if trying to piece the puzzle together. It was clear that Sawyer knew that there was more to the story.

Lucky for Jay, though, loud shouts in a language he didn't understand drew his attention away. He saw the Korean man flying across the beach on a crash course with Ryan. Fists were flying, and in a matter of seconds the younger man was on the ground.

"You gonna help me take care of this?" Jay asked.

Sawyer smirked. "I think you've got a handle on it Die Hard."

O O O

Ryan threw three logs onto the signal fire, drawing his hand back quickly as the sparks flew into his face. Nearby he saw Sayid leaning over a table filled with electronics, hooking wires and batteries together. "Figured out how to get us off the island yet?" he asked.

"I have an idea. It is too cloudy to try it today, but perhaps tomorrow," Sayid said.

Ryan nodded, his eyes sweeping over camp looking for some other way to be useful. For the most part, people were relaxing, and he couldn't blame them. Today was the first day in a while they hadn't had to worry about a shortage of food and water, or figure out how to take care of dead bodies. The beach was entirely peaceful. Despite this, he kept seeking something to do. He hated sitting around, twiddling his thumbs as they waited for rescue.

From the medical tent, he saw Katherine emerge. She was helping the man from the jungle toward Lalah's tent, where the extra clothes from the crash were being stored. At her feet, Lizzie was tottering, grabbing at her legs, and making it difficult to walk. _Might as well offer a hand, _Ryan thought, making his way over.

Just as he passed Shannon, who was sunbathing on the beach with her gargantuan bug-eyed sunglasses, he heard a loud shout behind him. Ryan had no idea what had been said, it definitely wasn't in English. The Korean couple perhaps?

He turned to see what was wrong, and was promptly tackled by the Korean man. His face was vicious, his shouts indiscernible. Ryan heard himself yelp in surprise, as sand filled his nose and gaping mouth. The man picked him up by the collar of his shirt, and punched him with a powerful fist in the face. _Defend yourself! Pull yourself together and defend yourself. _Ryan felt his own balled fist connect with the man's stomach, but it seemed to do no harm.

The voices of other survivors gathering around the fight rose up. He thought back to the other fights on the beach that he'd watched happen, never trying to really stop it, just gawking in surprise, waiting to see what happened. _Yeah, never doing that again_, he thought, kicking his feet to try and push himself out of the man's grasp.

"Get off him!" he heard Sayid cry out. Finally, the man was pulled off him. Ryan felt blood dripping down his nose. "Who's got the marshal's handcuffs?"

"I'll get 'em," Sawyer drawled. Jay had the Korean man in a chokehold. The southern man returned quickly, spinning the cuffs around one finger. Sayid grabbed them out of his hands and fastened them around the Korean man's wrist, and then to a piece of debris from the plane.

"What happened? What started the fight?" Jay asked, curious.

"Honestly, man?" Ryan said. "No clue."

O O O

"We're just about there," Jack announced, walking faster. "The caves are just over that hill. I know it's a bit of a long walk, but eventually we're going to wear down a path, and that'll make it a bit easier going."

Natalie easily kept place with Jack, and Locke followed right behind. Charlie, however, was lost in his own world, and it concerned Brad.

"You okay Charlie?" he asked.

A few moments passed before Charlie seemed lucid enough to even recognize that Brad was speaking. His eyes were watery and had bags around them, his hands were trembling. He recognized the symptoms instantly. Withdrawal.

"I'm fine, mate, just fine," Charlie snapped, sniffing loudly.

"No, you're not, you're—"

_ Crack! _Charlie stepped on something that broke in half. Everyone froze in place. "Charlie, don't move," Locke said quickly. "I think you stepped on a bees nest."

"Well that's just bloody brilliant, isn't it?" he quipped, though his voice was quivering. Brad couldn't blame him. The prospect of being stung by an entire colony of bees was… well it was pretty damn unpleasant.

"Charlie, stand still, we're going to cover the hive," Locke said calmly, dumping the contents of his bag onto the ground.

"Have I ever mentioned my irrational fear of bees?" Charlie asked, gulping.

"I thought you had an irrational fear of velociraptors," Natalie whispered, edging away from the hive. Bees were flying out of the nest, covering the man's face, crawling abound in his hair, nose, ears.

Charlie was fidgeting, trembling, and Brad was ready to bolt the second the bees came out of the nest. "There's a ninety-five percent chance I'm allergic to bees… ouch!" He jumped off the nest in surprise at the sting on his neck, cracking the hive open wider.

The hum of bees grew and grew, reminding Brad of the anticipation-filled buzz of the crowds at the stadiums he played when the Dead Aces toured. As they flooded from the hive, Brad grabbed Charlie by the arm, dragging him after Locke deeper into the woods.

O O O

_Brad sat in the office chair, tipping back and forth. His nerves were on edge. Staring at him from across the mahogany desk was the man who, if he wanted to, would let him get his son. He watched as Dr. Finkel shuffled through the files before him._

_"Look, Doc, I gotta get my son. Please, these circumstances are kind of dire. I don't know what'll happen if I don't get him…" Brad pleaded his case, studying the doctor's movements. _

_It had taken him a long time to reach a decision regarding his son. Brad knew he had little experience in child rearing, and even less in being a dad. But if he refused to take care of the child, the next logical choice would be to send the boy to stay with Arianna's family- and they hated Brad for what he did to their daughter. _

_Brad may not have been up for dad of the year, but he knew Ari well enough to know that as much as she hated him, she would never turn their son against him. Ari's parents, and especially her damned brother Shawn, were another case. He couldn't let that happen._

_Not only that, but his relationship with Chris was like his relationship with his father. Brad hated his father. He didn't want Chris to hate him. And he didn't want to turn into his father._

_"No, absolutely not," Dr. Finkel said resolutely, shaking his head. _

_"Oh c'mon Doc! Why not?" Brad waited for Dr. Finkel's response to his question._

_"I'm sorry, but you are contractually obligated to stay here for the sixty day period you signed up for. You're only forty-five days in."_

_"Yeah, but I have to take care of my son. I might not want to, but hey, that's life." Brad was not going down without a fight._

_"No. Dr. Christian Shephard and his son Jack are good friends of mine, and I trust their judgment. You can't leave."_

_Brad coughed slightly before speaking again. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's not think about me for a minute. It's my fault that my ex-wife and son are in Australia now. I barely even got to know my son when Ari and I were together! I drank, I did drugs, and let's not forget all the women that I cheated on her with._

_He felt tears running down his cheek. Even he hadn't realized how emotionally invested he was in getting his son back. "When I first met Ari, she was so happy. Y'know, you could turn off all the lights in the room and still see her. And I… I threw it all away. The only thing I want is to fix all the damage that I caused, and get to know my son. Please." _

_The doctor sighed. "Alright Brad. But you have to promise that you won't do drugs or drink, and you'll have to attend an AA meeting once a week upon your return to LA."_

_Brad paused to weigh the decision. "Sure. I won't drink, use drugs, or get high again. It'll be tough, but I can do it. I'll be living a clean and sober life from now on."_

_Dr. Finkel shook his hand and wished him luck. Brad rose and walked out of the office, mentally preparing himself to meet the son he never knew. _

O O O

Senna was out at the dance studio. Kim had gone out with, Emily, to visit Alex, who missed her boyfriend Karl and couldn't figure out how to tell Eric and Kit that she wasn't interested in them. Or something like that. Alice had only been half-listening when Kim had babbled for about fifteen minutes, filling her in on the mysterious island native gossip and drama. _Seriously, it's like a bloody episode of Hollyoaks. And I hate that show._

The street through the center of town was clear. Life seemed at a standstill. The only question left in her mind was how long the quiet would remain. It had been almost four days since she'd had chance to meet with Kate and discuss their escape plan.

Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the handle. There was a knock on the door. Alice nearly jumped out of her skin. _Pull yourself together woman! You lived among headhunters for a week, you can handle these people!_

She opened the door. "Can I help you?"

"You're Alice, right?" the young man asked. He pushed his way into the house without waiting for permission. "I'm Eric Becket, known to the people here as Eric Rom."

"Senna and Kim are out right now. Do you want me to let them know you stopped by?" He needed to go, and fast. Alice had to see Kate.

"Nope," he replied, tying a black bandanna in his curly blonde hair. "I'm here to see you."

"What?"

The boy smiled. "You want to get back to your people. I want to get the hell of this island. We have a lot in common, and I think we could help each other."

Alice said nothing, unsure if she could trust the boy. Call her a pessimist, but if these people had no problem kidnapping her from the beach, she could believe they would send a spy to try and find out about her escape plan.

"I know you probably don't trust me, but think about it. Cassie and I don't belong here. We're not here by choice. Talk to Kate and decide if you want to take a chance. I live in the house two up from you. Ethan is off on a mission right now, so just sneak by when Senna and Kim are out. Okay?"

Eric left as mysteriously as he had appeared. The existence of allies was a good sign, but she'd have to talk to Kate. Glancing out the window, she saw several people out in the streets chatting away. _There goes today's chance_ As Alice stepped back into the living room, where she'd found a copy of Mary Leakey's autobiography, one thought passed through her mind.

Why on earth did the name Ethan sound so familiar?

O O O

"Let's see this eye of yours, Ryan," McKenzie said, holding his chin tightly. When Lizzie started bawling in fear over the fight in camp, Katherine had asked her to make sure Ryan got cleaned up. Having completed a year and a half of med school before being forced to drop out, she was happy to oblige. She was overly qualified to tackle scrapes and bruises, but wasn't comfortable enough to attempt dealing with any other type of injury.

"This is gonna be black for a while." She'd seen black eyes in varying shades of purple and blue before. This was the first literal black eye that she'd seen.

Hands laden with bandages and bottles, Lalah approached. "I found what you were looking for, McKenzie. There's a bottle of alcohol from Jack, and some bandages that Claire found."

"Great, thanks Lalah!" she replied. "Prepare yourself, this is gonna sting like a bitch." Under her hands, Ryan's face scrunched up. She poured some of the alcohol, but he didn't make a sound.

"Aren't you a model patient?" she asked with a smile.

"Well, I have to make up for publicly getting my ass kicked earlier," Ryan shot back. Both their eyes traveled over to the piece of the wing to which the Korean man was attached. His wife stood nearby, the two wrapped up in a heated argument.

McKenzie couldn't help but contemplate the couple. They never seemed happy, barely talked most of the time. The woman was demure, almost subservient. The man was tough, violent. It all seemed like something ripped from a novel.

"I wish I could figure out why he attacked me," Ryan sighed as she put the last bandage on his face. "I can't figure it out for the life of me!"

"Did you look at his wife the wrong way? He's kind of overprotective," she suggested, moving away to close up the alcohol bottles. She didn't want to waste any.

He shrugged, shaking his head. "No! At least not on purpose! What kind of guy do you think I am?"

She smiled. "You're a good guy Ryan, anyone here would say that."

When she looked back at the Korean man, the glare he was shooting at Ryan would have made anyone question that statement.

O O O

Natalie let out a squeak of surprise when she felt the bee sting the back of her neck. It drove her to run faster behind Jack into the caves. She was surprised to find that the ground within the caves was smooth, and not rocky and jagged. Escaping from bees was much easier when she didn't have to worry about tripping over her own two feet.

Suddenly, Natalie felt her chest constrict. _Oh no! Oh no, no, no. Not now. Not when Jack is giving me a chance to be part of the team._ Her breathing was in short spurts, and she was wheezing. She tried coughing, but it didn't help. "Ja…Jack!"

The doctor heard her, and immediately stopped in his tracks. "Natalie? Natalie what's wrong?" He forced her to sit down on the ground, kneeling in front of her.

"Asth… asthma attack," she managed to sputter out before she coughed violently. She felt her whole body shaking. "Inhaler's in bag."

Immediately, Jack grabbed the backpack from where she dropped it and started shuffling through water bottles. "Got it!"

Natalie grabbed it from his hands, placed it in her mouth, and pressed the button. Breathing deeply, she began to feel her lungs opening up again. Slowly, she paced her breathing until she felt normal. "Thanks," she sighed, leaning against the cave wall. She glanced down at the inhaler.

"Do you get a lot of asthma attacks?" Jack asked, taking a seat next to her.

"Sometimes. Depends on what I'm doing. Pollen can sometimes trigger them, and stress from school. And apparently I can add running away from killer bee attacks to the list. I've been getting them since I was little, so now they don't even bother me."

Jack nodded. "You stayed calm. Most people would freak out. It's impressive." He stood up, offering a hand to help her up. "Let's look around, I have an idea."

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you after we've looked around. I have to see if it'll work first." Natalie smiled, excited to be the one helping Jack.

The caves were surprisingly bright, the sunlight reaching deeper than she would have expected. Walking along the wall, Natalie saw a crevice that seemed to reach back farther than the wall. It was wide and open. She moved forward, looked up, and shrieked. Two skeletons were lying side by side, wrapped around each other in an eternal embrace.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked. Behind her, there were footsteps, and Locke, Brad, and Charlie entered the cave.

"Bodies… there are skeleton's here. They just surprised me."

"How long do you think they've been here?" Charlie asked.

Jack shrugged. "Maybe forty or fifty years, judging on the decomposition of the clothing." Reaching into the small sack that each skeleton had, he found two perfectly round stones, one black and one white.

"They're our very own Adam and Eve," Locke commented.

Charlie grunted. "Yeah, well they give me the willies." Natalie agreed silently.

"You know there's a lot of debris outside," Locke continued. "Why don't Brad, Charlie and I stay and take a look around, see if there's anything useful. Natalie and Jack, you two can fill the water bottles and bring them back."

"Sounds good. If you find any drugs, definitely grab them," Jack said. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Charlie flinch at the word drugs. Jack picked up his bag, and Natalie followed him out of the cave.

"So will your idea work?" she asked.

"Yeah, I think it could."

"Are you gonna share?" she asked with a smile. Ahead, she could see the fresh water Jack had talked about. The pool was everything she imagined a body of water on an island would look like. Crystal clear, surrounded by ferns and perfectly eroded rocks of a deep red color. Grabbing the first water bottle, she leaned over the water, filling it up.

"I think we should move to the caves," he said.

"What!" Natalie dropped the bottle into the water. She grabbed it just in time to keep it from floating away.

"The caves will provide us a good shelter from the rain. We're closer to fresh water here, as well. There's no mile long trek to and from the beach to get it. The sun is shielded, there's less of a chance of polar bear attack. It just makes sense," Jack said, excitement growing in his voice.

Natalie couldn't agree with him at all. Leaving the beach would be giving up on rescue. To abandon the signal fire after only eight days? It was like giving up all hope of ever getting home.

"Jack I don't know…"

He cut her off. "Just think about it. It's really the logical thing to do."

Natalie wasn't so sure that was true.

O O O

"Advil, amoxicillin, dilatin. This guy had a whole pharmacy in his bag!" Brad exclaimed, pulling out the drugs, as well as an additional water bottle and a few granola bars. The wrappers were still intact, so he figured they were still good.

Charlie carried over another bag, hands still shaking. "You were in the band Driveshaft, weren't you?" Locke asked nonchalantly. "I'm a big fan. Loved the first album, second one not so much. I own the concert DVD too."

"You… you recognize me?" Charlie asked, looking thrilled that someone finally recognized who he was.

"Yeah," Locke replied. "I also recognize withdrawal when I see it. How long have you been clean, Charlie?"

Charlie was gaping now. Brad, too, was impressed. Locke seemed like the kind of guy who kept to himself in the back woods of some forest-y state. That creepy guy all the kids avoided because he was a vampire or a werewolf, or whatever legend they thought up.

"Only… only since the crash. I lost my stash in the plane bathroom, I've been meaning to look for it, but I didn't want to slack off around camp. I wanted to be useful," he confessed, being entirely honest. Brad had to give him credit. Had he still been hooked, he would have been searching high and low until he found it.

"Maybe it's a sign," Locke said quietly, as he pulled one of the large Life Water bottles from a bag, along with an unopened bag of Doritos. "Maybe it's fate's way of telling you it's time to quit."

"Maybe," Charlie said. "I dunno… I'm kind of dependent on them…"

Brad smiled. "That would be the definition of an addict, Charlie." He hoped his words conveyed how much he understood Charlie's situation.

"How about this. I'm gonna send Brad to go find your stash in the cockpit, and I'll hold onto it for you. I'll let you ask me for your drugs three times. The third time, I'm going to give them to you. I think you're a lot stronger than you know, a lot stronger than the influence of the drugs. Maybe this'll prove it to you. Is that a deal?" Locke stuck out his hand.

Charlie nodded, shaking the older man's hand. "It's a deal mate."

Brad found himself smiling. He only wished he'd had someone like Locke to kick his ass into quitting before his three overdoses nearly destroyed his life.

O O O

_"Hi Polly? It's Brad Donegan again. Listen, I had to make a quick stop to take care of some business before I come get Chris. I'll be there around five? Ok, great. Thanks. I'll see you then." Brad snapped his cell phone shut, and stared at the home before him. It was a nice, middle-class type of house- two stories, shuttered windows, an expansive front porch. Not the type of place where one would encounter a psychic. _

_There was a second car in the driveway, he assumed the current clients. He had, after all, show up without an appointment. Leaning against the hood of his car he waited for them to be done. A few months ago, he would have counteracted this boredom by getting high while he waited. But not now. He'd come too far to let it get the best of him again. _

_Twenty minutes later, the front door opened, and a young, pregnant woman walked out looking agitated. In her hands she carried an envelope that she studied intently. Her hair was a bright blonde, just like the woman in his dream._

That's so weird, _Brad thought. He wished the dream girl had a face, so he could see if they were the same. _

_As they passed on the front steps, Brad moved aside to let her go through. Behind him, he heard the car door slam and the engine turn over. The blonde was leaving. Firmly, he knocked on the door._

_A slight, balding man answered the door looking nervous. In the living room the clock on the wall chimed three, and Brad hoped he could get all the information he wanted and still be able to pick Chris up on time. "Can I help you?"_

_"I don't have an appointment," Brad began. "But I've heard your one of the best psychics in the world. I need your helps, I've been having these dreams—"_

_Mr. Malkin held up a hand indicating that he understood. "Don't you worry. Step inside, I'll close the door, and we'll chat."_

_Taking a leap of faith, Brad did just that. _

O O O

At the edge of the forest, Ryan hacked away at a large piece of bamboo with the makeshift hatchet that Sayid had devised. Certainly, it was helping him get out the anger he felt toward the Korean man for attacking him in front of the camp. He felt bad for the guy, being handcuffed to the plane in front of everyone, but Ryan was still trying to figure out why he'd attacked him.

"Hello Ryan," he heard a woman say, a voice that he didn't recognize at all.

Looking up, he saw the Korean woman standing in front of him. _Holy shit, I'm hallucinating. What a mind fuck._

"You don't speak English."

_Wow, way to start a conversation there buddy,_ he admonished himself.

"My husband doesn't know I speak English. Please don't tell him."

Ryan nodded that he wouldn't and she continued. "My name is Sun. I know why my husband attacked you today. That watch you are wearing? It belongs to him, it was given to him by my father to deliver to a man in Los Angeles. That delivery… well, it's a question of honor for him. He takes his job very seriously. The whole matter will be settled if you could just return it to him."

Still in awe that she was speaking English, he just nodded. He'd found the watch on the beach. There was no use in letting it get destroyed since it was a perfectly working, not to mention obviously expensive, watch. "No problem."

Swinging the hatchet over his shoulder, he walked out of the jungle into the sunlight where the Korean man was sitting. Ryan took off the watch and handed it to him. "Dude, all you had to do was tell me it was yours. Or just point at it or something. I would have gotten the hint."

Swinging down the hatchet hard, he cut the handcuffs in half, releasing him. Sharing a brief glance with the man, Ryan returned to the jungle, passing Sun along the way.

O O O

The first thing that hit Brad when he entered the cockpit of the plane was the ungodly stench of it all. If he'd thought entering the decimated mid-section to recover drugs for Jack was bad, this was forty times worse. Bodies were covered in maggots, skin hanging off, faces still contorted in their last, pain-filled expression. It was like a scene from a horror movie- one that was rated NC-17.

_I can't believe I'm doing this. Locke has lost his mind. Seriously. _Taking one last breath of clean air, Brad climbed up the tilted hull as fast as he could.

Charlie had said he'd dropped the drugs in the bathroom. He entered the cramped space, looked around. The Ziploc bag, filled with white powder, lay in plain sight on the floor. Picking it up, he stared at the substance that had controlled his life for so long.

_This'll be good for Charlie. I'll just give this to Locke when I get back, and then I can help the poor kid work through his addiction problem. I've gone through it, I know what to expect._

However, a little voice in the back of his head had other ideas. _Or you could hold onto it for yourself. You don't know Locke, maybe he just wants it for himself. As long as you have it, you know it'll be in safe hands. It's not like you're going to be tempted to use again. Right?_

Lost in thoughts, Brad stopped suddenly when he realized he'd opened the bag and had cocaine on his fingers. "Shit!" he muttered, closing the bag and stuffing it in his pocket. Trying his best to forget it was there, he climbed back out of the plane and began the trek back to camp.

O O O

_"So what seems to be the problem, Brad?" Malkin asked, ushering him to a seat._

_"I've been having these weird dreams recently, and I don't have any idea what they mean. I'm on this island, there's a pregnant woman with blonde hair but no face and she's following a cloud of smoke. And she keeps telling me to save her, to save Aaron and Christopher. Now, Chris is my son, he leaves with my ex-wife. But the woman and Aaron… I have no clue who they are. And every time it ends before I can rescue them."_

_Malkin appeared to be thinking, and was removing a box of tarot cards from a drawer in the table. "Listen, no offense, but I really don't believe in this stuff," Brad said quickly, scratching the back of his head. "So no tarot cards, no tea-leaves, no incense. Just a hand reading."_

_"I need to see your hand to do that, Brad," Malkin said levelly. Brad complied, presenting his palm._

_Malkin stared intently, his hands dancing over Brad's, following the lines, the crevices. There was a pregnant pause before the psychic drew his hands away in a panic. His eyes were alight in fear. _

_"Y-you need to protect her and the child. Only you can protect her!" Malkin whispered, panic evident in his voice._

_"Protect who? My wife tried to kill herself, my brother-in-law hates my guts, I gotta take care of a kid I barely know, and the only thing you can tell me about my dream is that I have to protect her? No shit man, I figured that out when she said 'Save us!' Jesus Christ, no wonder the pregnant girl was so upset!" Brad exploded, knocking his chair over as he stood._

_"Her name… it's Claire," Malkin mumbled. Brad didn't understand._

_"What?" confusion was evident in his voice._

_"This session was free of charge. I can see that you want to bring your son back to LA. Here are two tickets to Oceanic Flight 815. Sydney to LA. Take them, please!" Malkin really didn't give him a choice, shoving them into his hands. _

_Brad walked out of the house, looking back only once. He took a seat in the rental car, shaking his head in awe over what just occurred. _It's all bull shit, man. Don't take it seriously.

_His cell phone rang, and he picked it up, expecting it to be Polly. "Hello Brad," a deep male voice said._

_"Who is this?"_

_"Mr. Donegan, we have your father. If you ever wish to see him alive again, we want information on the Island." Brad massaged his forehead with his free hand, his nerves on edge. He hadn't talked to his father in years._

_"This Island? I have no idea what you're talking about."_

_"There's a black van heading towards you. It'll be there in twenty minutes. The people inside are armed, and will kill you and your son on sight if you do no cooperate. Understood?" The voice sounded sinister, foreboding. _

_Brad wasn't about to wait around and find out who the voice was. He fastened his seatbelt and revved the engine, and sped away from Malkin's home. First to get Chris, and then to catch this Flight 815 to LA. He'd be safe there._

O O O

"Did you find Charlie's drugs, Brad?" Locke asked as he pressed the knife into a thick piece of wood. The bark had been stripped away. He was carving something.

"Yeah John. I found them. I couldn't bring them back though. The plastic bag had fallen into the toilet during the crash. Whether Charlie asks for the bag back or not, the stash is destroyed. Unless, of course, he snorts vomit on the side."

Locke laughed, though Brad still squirmed a bit. The look in the older man's eye seemed to betray that he knew Brad was holding back information from him. "Well, just don't tell Charlie, alright? He needs to prove to himself he can survive without the drugs. I have an idea of how to do it, but he's gonna have to believe we have them. You _can _keep a secret, right?"

Brad nodded his head emphatically. "Yeah, no problem!"

"Good, now why don't you get back to your son? I heard he's taken a couple million dollars from Hurley playing backgammon today. Have a good night, Brad."

_Did I just get dismissed? _he thought, as he walked away. He stuck his hand in his pocket, and felt the tiny plastic bag. _Just a little, it's been so long… no! I've come too far for that! But it'll only be once. When Charlie beats his addiction, then I can get rid of it. Locke only needs it until Charlie's cured…_

He pulled the tiny bag out of his pocket, staring at the tiny crystals that seemed to glow in the firelight. Glancing left and right, he began moving towards an isolated spot in the jungle. However, at the last minute, he put the bag back in his pocket, and continued toward his tent to get Chris ready for the move to the caves.

_This is not going to get the best of me. It took too damn long to kick the habit, I am not going back there again. _

O O O

"Last trip Natalie, you coming up to the caves?" Jack asked. The doctor had announced his plan to the entirety of the camp upon their return, offering them the option of staying or going to the caves. The beach camp had grown smaller since the morning. In addition to Hurley and the Korean couple, Katherine and Lizzie, Brad and Chris, Jason, and Ryan had all chosen to move to the caves.

_It's a good chance to get to know your dad, _the little voice in her head reminded her.

"Thanks, but no thanks Jack. I can't do it," she replied.

A look of concern passed over his face. "I'm worried about you being on your own. I know you can handle a lot, but you're still just a kid. Someone should be looking out for you."

"And there will be people," she replied. "Lalah's still here, and Jay and Sayid. I'll stick with them. Don't you worry."

He took a seat next to her, glancing over his shoulder to see if the people he was leading to their new home were ready. "Why stay here?" he asked. "It's safer at the caves, the water is right there. What's so appealing about the beach?"

She sighed. "If we move to the cave, it's like we're giving up on getting rescued. I don't want to give up hope yet. So I'm gonna wait it out here, at least for now. Besides, if the rescue boat comes, do you _really _think Sawyer's gonna run up to the caves and let you know?"

Jack laughed loudly. "I guess not. What would I do without you Natalie?" He stood, prepared to leave. "Be careful, okay?"

"I will. And don't go and get yourself injured either, you hear?" As he walked away, Natalie watched him gather the troops moving to the caves. She kept watching until the last backpack disappeared in the jungle, and then went to sleep.

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**Hey All! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I haven't spell checked/grammar checked as much as I'd like, but I'm leaving on a week long vacation in five minutes (literally) and wanted to post this before I leave. If you see any major errors, PLEASE let me know, so I can fix them when I get back. I'll be doing more extensive grammatical edits then. Thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter, and those of you who submitted characters. I'll be working on the next chapter while I'm away and hope to have it up soon. Leave reviews so I can smile when I get back! All the best- Jac**


	13. But You Can Never Go Home Anymore

**Disclaimer: I do not own lost. Characters belong to their respective creators. I also do not own: Bob the Builder, Barbie, Dora the Explorer, Barney, Mike's Hard Lemonade, Ninja Turtles, Cosmo, "Sweet Child of Mine" by Guns 'N' Roses, Sonny and Cher, Soul Pattinson Chemists, or Dear Abby. Chapter title from the song "You Can Never Go Home Anymore" by the Shangri Las. Finally, special thanks to Golden-Black Dragon for helping to write Brad's flashbacks in the last chapter!**

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**Chapter Nine**

"_When men talk about self-defense, they always claim to be protecting women and children, but they never ask the women and children what they think."_

_-Pat Schroeder_

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Katherine couldn't help but smile as Lizzie stumbled through the sand toward Natalie. Though they'd only been living in the caves overnight, the adventure had been so magnanimous for the three year old that she had to share it with "Natty." For her part, Katherine was happy to take the mile trek to avoid the construction work that Jack was leading, as well as to continue her morning chats with Lalah.

That it took getting trapped on an island to finally make her feel safe and find a sense of normality almost made her feel a little pathetic.

"Hey there! Already settled in?" Lalah asked cheerfully, as Katherine grabbed a seat by the fire.

"As settled as we're gonna get. Jack is playing Bob the Builder, trying to make sure everything is safe. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a 'Home Sweet Home' sign attached to the rock by the time I get back," she said with a sigh.

Lalah laughed, but Katherine could tell it was forced, and that she'd hit a nerve. She groaned internally. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean… I mean, I'm sure your kids are fine. They're with your mother-in-law, right? She'll make sure they get through this. You're so strong Lalah. If they're anything like you, and I'm sure they are, they're going to be…"

Lalah shook her head, trying to act unaffected. "How's Nathan doing?"

_Good job Kat, running your stupid mouth, _she lectured herself.

"He's alright. Still confused. He keeps talking about a guy named Russ. Must have been a friend who died on the plane."

Lalah was fiddling with the fraying edge of her shirt. "What if they weren't dead? Katherine, I get what you're saying but with everything Niki said…"

No, they were not going to go there. Because if what Niki said was true, that would mean there was a man named Dmitri on the plane, and that would destroy all of the security she had found on this island. And she was not going to lose that again.

"The chances are so slim, Lalah. The emotional trauma Nathan endured… I just don't want you to get your hopes up for your wife. I hate being the one to say this, I really do, but the scientific literature supports me. I'm sorry," she said softly.

Lalah sighed again, "I know. I've been trying to keep myself level headed about this, but I can't help but hope."

A shadow passed over them, a tall body blocking the sun. "Hey Katherine, can I steal Lalah for a bit?" Niki asked.

"Perfect timing," a second voice added. It was Boone. A wary looked passed between him and Niki. "Sayid asked me to come and get you Katherine. He needs your help this afternoon, wants to run a plan by you."

After checking that Natalie didn't mind watching Lizzie for a while, she followed him to where Sayid sat, surrounded by his electronics equipment. He seemed to be putting last minute adjustments on a small box. "What's up?" Boone asked. "I got Katherine."

"Somewhere on this island, there is a radio signal," Sayid said.

_That's news to me! _Katherine thought, surprised. Sayid said that the transceiver did _not _pick up a signal when they went up the mountain!

Boone's reaction differed. "Shannon let it slip," he admitted.

_Let the secrets begin, _Katherine mused. She'd find out the whole story later.

"The problem is, we don't know where the signal is. We must triangulate it. I constructed three antennas, in three different locals. If all antennas are turned on, I can locate the source, and we can send our own message. Still, we encounter a problem. The cells will last only a few moments. It is imperative we all turn them on at the same time, in the correct position."

"How will we know?" Katherine asked.

Sayid grinned. "Thanks to some firework smugglers, I was able to devise some bottle rockets. We will shoot them, first me, because I will be the last to take my place. Then Boone, then you, Katherine. After all three have exploded, we all turn the antennas on. Then we can find the source of the signal. "

She nodded, and saw Boone do the same. "I take it you are both in?" Sayid asked.

"Just tell us where to go," Katherine said. Sayid indicated she should follow, and with one last glance at Lizzie, she made her way towards the jungle.

OOO

_"Alright Mrs. Pace, I have two prescriptions here for Megan," Katherine said, scribbling the drug names on her notepad. "The first is an antibiotic. That should take care of the strep throat. The second is an analgesic that's stronger than the store-bought medicine. It'll ease the pain when she's trying to swallow and talk. Give it a day or two for the antibiotics to keep in, and she should be all set to go back to school. Cherry or lemon?" _

_"Lemon!" Megan rasped, forcing the words the out through her sore throat. Katherine pulled a lollipop of the glass jar on her desk. _

_"Thanks Dr. Williams," the weary mother said, helping her daughter off the table._

_Katherine smiled. "No problem! Feel better Megan!" She walked with the pair out into the empty waiting room. "Anyone else today?" she asked the receptionist. _

_"That's it for today Katherine," Hannah said. "By the way, what time should I bring Troy and Julissa to the park tomorrow?"_

_"The park?" she asked quickly, eyes skimming over Monday's appointments. She was ready to get home and relax with her daughter. _

_"For the party," the older woman reminded her gently._

_Lizzie's third birthday party. _Duh,_ Katherine thought. It had slipped her mind. _

_The feeling of living a normal life, with friends, and a home, and birthday parties, was so strange after being on the run for two years solid. Life had been cheap motels and truck stops along Interstate Eighty, always ending in discovery. _

_Finally, she'd taken the leap, and left the country. One year passed in Australia, and no sign of the man who wanted to take her daughter away from her. They were safe, finally safe. Lizzie would grow up normal, without knowledge of who her father really was. Katherine had been certified to practice medicine in her new country, started her own practice. She was at the point that she thought she might even find a good man, a decent man, to be a real dad for her daughter. _

_"Oh! Sorry, I flaked for a second. Come to the park around one. We'll be in the big pavilion. I'm actually bringing Lizzie to pick out decorations tonight. I think she's leaning towards Barbie. You better warn Troy about the girly decorations."_

_Hannah laughed. "As long as there are goody bags, Troy'll be fine."_

_Katherine returned to her office, gathering her purse, as well as several insurance claims she would have to deal with over the weekend, after the birthday festivities. There was a knock on the door. "I forgot to tell you," Hannah said. "Your father called earlier today. Said he'd try you tonight at home. Nothing urgent, just checking up on you. I think he wants to be the first to send birthday wishes. Your dad's a very sweet man."_

_She nodded in response, thinking of the gruff rancher she'd left behind in Texas. Sweet wasn't the word she'd use to describe him. But, as she'd learned, life is always changing. Perhaps old age had mellowed him some. Pushing her thoughts aside, she turned off the lights, said one last goodbye to Hannah, and headed to the daycare to retrieve Lizzie. _

OOO

"Hey Claire?"

"Yeah Kenz?"

"I'm gonna go fill the water bottles."

Claire frowned. "You just filled them, like, an hour ago. I've barely made a dent in mine!"

"Pleaaaaase? Chug it like we used to shotgun Mike's Hard behind your mum's house!" she begged.

Mackenzie watched as Claire scanned the beach, playful suspicion in her eyes. "This wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that one British rocker appears to be on his way to the caves?"

"Absolutely not," she said, beaming.

"Right," Claire deadpanned, before opening one of the water bottles, and chugging half of it. She stopped, saying, "You do realize I'm eight months pregnant? There is a baby crushing my bladder. Thanks to you I'm going to have to pee all day." She dumped the rest of the water on the ground with a grin. "Have fun, Kenz."

"Love youuuu!" She grabbed the single bottle and sprinted across the beach to where Charlie was just entering the jungle. "Want company?"

"Um… sure… if you want…" he muttered, pulling his hoodie up over his head. Mackenzie frowned. Charlie's mood from the first few days on the beach had done a complete three-sixty. They walked through the jungle, entire silent. It was awkward. She wanted the old Charlie back.

"You only brought one water bottle," he said gruffly when they were nearly at the caves.

"It's important that Claire stays hydrated. " She shrugged, observing how his whole body was trembling, and how he walked half hunched over. He looked like an old man, walking in a death march. Then it dawned on her, and Mackenzie was annoyed she hadn't picked up on it earlier. The nature of Charlie's illness hit her like a brick.

She wondered if she should say anything, deciding it was worth the risk. "Charlie, I know what you're going through…"

"Like hell you know what I'm going through!" Charlie shouted suddenly, wheeling around, his face contorted either in self-pity or pain. He stopped, realizing how unnecessarily loud he'd been. "Leave me alone Kenz. Okay? Sorry, just leave me alone." He moved quicker now, storming towards the caves, kicking stones and breaking branches.

She thought about turning around and returning to the beach, but she was so close to the caves, and Claire had made it a point to finish her water for her personal mission. With a sigh, Mackenzie followed the path to the caves, hoping Charlie didn't think her a stalker.

OOO

Lalah followed Niki down the beach, watching the girl's nerves nearly overcoming her. She was biting her nails, twirling her hair around her fingers. Something was bothering her greatly, that much was obvious. She stopped walking dead in her path. "You know what, Lalah, this is really dumb. I'm ok, really. There are a million things we could both be doing around the camp…"

"Stop. Sit," Lalah commanded, taking a seat herself. "Something is bothering you, and it'll keep bothering you unless you talk about it. I don't mind, really."

Niki attempted smiling, deciding better of it, and ran her hand through the sand on the ground. "It's Boone… Ugh, this is so inappropriate to be worrying about right now. Boy problems. I crash land on an island, nearly get killed by whatever lives in the jungle twice, find a man in the jungle, and the only thing I can worry about is a stupid boy. I'm sorry Lalah."

She felt bad for Niki. The girl was obvious distressed by both Boone and her own situation. "Niki. It's alright, really. The experiences we've had… we're all affected differently. "

_When did I become a psychologist? _Lalah mused before continuing. "Maybe worrying about Boone is your way of maintaining some sort of normalcy? Some remnant of home?"

"I overreacted the other day. Kind of. He told me to shut up, and I punched him. And then I told him he was just like my ex-boyfriend." Niki wasn't looking at her anymore, but out over the ocean, her mind obviously reflecting on painful memories.

"I take it your ex was no Prince Charming," she said softly.

The woman next to her shuttered. "He broke my arm. Sent me to the hospital four times before I got away. "

"That's a lot for anyone to go through," Lalah replied, filled with understanding. "It's no surprise you have a hard time trusting after that."

Niki shook her head, trying to hold back tears. "I took out my anger on him. I saw an opportunity to hurt him, and I did, but for all the wrong reasons. It was my way of getting back at Jayce, even though he's in jail. I could never fight back before, not with him. But Boone was easy. I hit him. And I shouldn't have done it. I mean, he was wrong too; it's not all my fault. But I don't want it to be like this, I was as bad as Jayce… I want to apologize, but not entirely… God, I don't even think I'm making sense." She wiped tears out of her eyes.

"You know what I think?" Lalah said. "I think you need to clear your head. Get Boone and everything that's happened out of it for a while. What would you do back home?"

"I used to run a lot. Long distance, to keep in shape for volleyball. Maybe I'll do that."

"I think you should. It will really help you."

"Thanks Lalah. You're like… my guru. A regular Dear Abby," Niki said, smiling. Satisfied that she was feeling better, Lalah made her way back to her tent. With not much else to do about the beach camp, she was going to catch up on so much needed alone time.

OOO

Brad felt the weight of Charlie's stash in his pocket, the contents calling to him, just begging to be used. Locke was nowhere to be seen, more than likely off gallivanting after some boar, Charlie was living on the beach, and Chris was napping. If he just snuck off now, no one would ever have to know…

_No. No more. As soon as Charlie's stopped detoxing, as soon as he's clean, we'll destroy it together. It'll be our own little victory celebration. _

His brain may have said no, but the rest of his body was saying yes. Glancing around him, he stuck his hand in his hoodie pocket, where the little Ziploc sat.

"Hurley, can I give you a hand?" As Charlie's voice emerged from the jungle, Brad released the bag back into his pocket, acting nonchalant. That had been too close. Charlie stumbled out of the jungle, looking miserable.

"Yeah dude, grab a bag," Hurley replied, his own hands laden with two or three. "Wait… dude… the zip—"

The bag Charlie picked up split open, spilling pill bottles all over the ground. Brad watched as the younger man, frustrated, began throwing the bottles back in the bag, reading the name of each drug.

"Hi Brad!" Mackenzie said coolly as she exited the jungle path, pulling his attention away from the scene. He could tell she still hadn't forgiven him for Claire passing out on the beach.

"Getting water?" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hurley saying something to Charlie that clearly upset him.

"Yeah. And I have to talk to Jack. He's supposed to check up on Claire over the next few days, and I might as well ask him while I'm here. Saves a trip back later. He in the cave?"

Brad nodded, and Mackenzie entered the cavern. Charlie grabbed his guitar and stormed into the cave behind her.

Christopher turned over in his sleep, sighing. On impulse, Brad ran a hand through his son's hair. It felt odd and awkward, but also, appropriate. Was this the key to connecting with his son? He didn't get a chance to think about it. Within the cave, he could hear shouts, and the little boy's eyes shot open.

"Go back to sleep buddy, I'll go tell them to shut up."

In the entrance of the cave Charlie was shouting erratically, while Jack was attempting to calm him down. Father back, Mackenzie was rummaging through a bag, pausing to stare at the scene before her periodically. Brad stepped forward, grabbing the British man by the shoulder.

"You need to stop, Charlie. Why don't we walk down to the beach?"

"NONE of you know what I want! People respect me, don't you get it?" He was ranting uncontrollably, screaming like an irritable teenager. "You don't know me. I'm a bloody ROCK GOD!"

Beneath his feat, Brad felt the caves shudder from the echo of Charlie's shout. Then, above him, a pebble fell. A rock grazed his shoulder, and more were falling around him. Faster and faster, the rocks turned to stones, turned to legitimate boulders. "MOVE!" he shouted. "CAVE IN!"

He grabbed Charlie by the hoodie and pulled him out of the way as the stones fell from the roof. Dust filled the air, and he released him, searching for Christopher. He'd never forgive himself if the kid got hurt. Using his hands as his guide, he found the little boy, still sleeping peacefully. _Christ, he could sleep through anything…_

He heard someone next to him shout "RYAN! Go get help!" He felt the younger man brush past him as he high-tailed it to the beach.

As the dust cleared, those people who were staying at the caves began to gather around the entrance. It was completely sealed with rock and debris. And Mackenzie and Jack were still inside.

OOO

_"What do you mean you didn't call dad? Hannah said you called the office this afternoon. No, everything's fine, we're fine. I haven't heard anything either, as far as I know he's still under psychiatric surveillance. The hospital assured us we would be notified if anything occurred."_

_"MAMAAAAA! DORA PLATES! DORA PLAAAAATES!" Lizzie bawled._

_"Daddy, I have to go. Lizzie's pitching a fit over Dora the Explorer. I'll talk to you soon. Tell mama I love her."_

_"DORAAAAAA!"_

_Katherine sighed, pulling her hair off her face. Lizzie had completely melted down in the middle of the birthday aisle at Soul Pattinson Chemists. "Sweetie, I thought you wanted a Barbie birthday! We have Barbie plates and a Barbie piñata. You love Barbie! You don't want Dora."_

_Lizzie let out a small scream. _Mom did call them the terrible two's, _she thought, even though the little girl had never been a problem before. "DORA! I WANT DORA!"_

_In her purse, she heard her cell phone start ringing. "Okay, we'll have a Dora party!" she said, exasperated. And then she had to stop and laugh. As crazy as things were, she loved her daughter more than life itself. Katherine would give her life for Lizzie. She nearly had twice, and she had no regrets._

_The tears immediately stopped, and the little girl grinned. "Thank you mommy!" she tottered away, grabbing Dora napkins and plates off the bottom shelf. Katherine dug through her purse, searching for the cell phone, the beat of the Latin music playing over and over. _

Bingo!_ She grabbed the phone, but missed the call. Considering it was the weekend, and their life was still fairly sheltered, it couldn't have be anyone important. Confirming this thought, she saw that the number was unknown. _Probably a telemarketer.

_"I gots everyt'ing mama!" _

_Katherine looked down into the cart, amazed at how quickly the three year old worked. There were streamers of neon green and fuchsia, metallic star shaped confetti, Dora the Explorer plates and napkins, and Ninja Turtle cups. Along with a variety of cheap, noisy toys for gift bags, Katherine tossed in a few bags of candy and chips and headed for the register. Third birthdays didn't happen every day, why not go all out?_

_The clerk looked at her as if she were insane as she rang up each item. Katherine just smiled. The cell phone rang again, and she grabbed it from the top of her bag. "Hello?"_

_No one responded. "Hello?" Silence. Then the line went dead. She glanced at the screen, and saw that once again the number was unknown._

Don't think about it… it's just a wrong number. Not him. This isn't how he operates, _she reminded herself, looking for comfort._

_Nervous, she shoved the money at the clerk without waiting for the change, grabbed her bags and Lizzie's hand, and got to the car. Right now, she just wanted to be locked safely inside her home. _

OOO

Sayid had placed Katherine outside the cover a large Banyan tree in the middle of the jungle, and set up her bottle rocket there. The instructions were clear: wait for the rocket, make sure the antenna was out in the open before turning it on. In her hand, she held a lighter that someone had illegally tossed in their carry-on luggage to light the rocket. Her eyes were focused on the sky, waiting for Sayid and Boone to set their own rockets off. It was only a matter of time now.

She wished there was someone sitting in the jungle with her. The high grass and thick trees were isolating. Niki's claim that a man named Dmitri had been on the plane did nothing to comfort her either. That Niki said the man was badly injured and likely dead did not register in her worried mind.

"Katherine?" she heard. "What are you doing out here?"

She stopped staring at the sky, saw Jason, and asked the exact same question. "What are you doing out here?"

He shrugged and laughed. "I asked first. Jack didn't need me up at the caves this morning, so I wandered down to the beach. Things were slow there, so I decided to explore the jungle. See if I could find some fruit trees, there should be some on an island like this. It's better than going stir crazy."

"Sayid is trying to triangulate the radio signal so we can use it to send out a distress call. I'm just waiting for him to signal to turn on the antenna."

Jason smiled. "Nice. I hope it works!"

"KATHERINE! KATHERINE!"

She recognized the voice. "Isn't that Ryan?"

The young man emerged from the jungle a moment later. "Katherine! We need help! There was a cave in, Jack and Mackenzie are trapped, and we don't know if they're injured or not. We need you up at the caves now!"

Katherine gasped, knowing she had to get to the caves as soon as possible. Someone had to be there to shoot the rocket and turn on the antenna. Silently, she thanked God that Jason happened to be walking along the path in her direction. Fate or sheer luck, she didn't care, he could fire the rocket.

"Ryan, I'll head up to the caves now, give a hand," Jason said.

"No! Jason, I need you to stay here and fire the rocket. The only other people with medical training on this island are in that cave. They need me. Sayid needs you."

With as much clarity as she could muster, she relayed Sayid's instructions to Jason. Then she made him repeat them back to her. Satisfied that he would shoot the rocket and turn on the antenna, she ran as fast as she could toward the caves.

OOO

Mia snuggled back into her hut, eyes darting along the coastline. The Korean man was fishing again, much to her relief. She had been concerned, when the man was chained to the wreckage, that the influx of fish would stop and she'd have to bribe Goodwin to find her food. Now she could rest assured that her belly would continue to be full. Thank the lord.

Continuing her watch over the beach, she saw smaller groups of survivors gathering, chatting, working together on small projects that would be useful around camp. Jay was tossing logs on a fire. Natalie was watching the little red haired girl. Ryan had just come jogging out of the woods, while in the distance Nikki was jogging away. Mia sniffed in disdain, rolling her eyes. Hadn't they realized it yet? Rescue. Wasn't. Coming.

She'd said it time and time again and only got dirty looks. So she stopped saying it, except when Shannon was around. But that was only because it clearly pissed the dumb blonde off, and she would storm away like a diva, which provided some sort of amusement.

It was stupid to keep their hopes up. Nine days had passed since the crash. The black box only pinged for thirty days- she learned that watching TV after some big jet had gone down over the Atlantic. And despite that, rescuers had to have an idea of where to look for the black box. The Pacific Ocean was huge, and they were caught in a storm. It would be impossible for rescuers to know where to look.

"What's got you looking so serious, Miss Mia?" she heard Goodwin say, and she pulled herself out of her reverie and moved into the sunshine.

"Don't know what you're talking about, Goodwin," she replied, feigning indifference.

Goodwin reminded Mia of her mother: flakey and oblivious, but good-hearted. He was everything her father Tony hated, everything she'd come to reject. Yet she gravitated to the man, even when she was determined to isolate herself. He was her safe haven, her replacement mom and dad all combined into one.

If he knew what was good for him, he'd just walk away now.

"You know they're talking about you in camp," Goodwin said, concern filling his voice.

"So?"

He sighed. "Michael and Brad were complaining to Sayid about how little you do. Mia, no one is defending you. No one knows you. You're an enigma to the others. It's not safe. What if you get hurt? Who will help you?"

"I've got you, don't I?" Mia questioned. Not that she really counted on him. Trust no one, that's what she'd learned long ago.

"I'm not always going to be here, Mia," Goodwin said, a darker tone taking over his usually carefree voice.

She should have been bothered by this, but she found herself laughing. "We're on a fricken desert island, Goodwin. Where the hell do you plan on going?"

He smiled grimly. "There was a cave in."

"What?" She knew her shock was evident. A statement like that made it impossible to keep a straight face.

"I met Ryan on his way down from the caves. He came to get help. Mackenzie and Jack are trapped. They need Katherine to take care of the injured."

Mia felt fear bubbling within her. She tried to hold back, to compartmentalize, but she found herself unable to. "Why aren't you there helping?" she burst. "Who's watching Lizzie? Who's with Claire? This kind of stress isn't good for the baby, or for her!"

"I thought you didn't care," Goodwin said vindictively, his face hard.

"Screw what I said," she muttered, marching to the beach to find Claire. Behind her she didn't see the smirk that spread across Goodwin's face as he slowly made his way towards the caves.

OOO

"An'… an' there's a biiiiiig ocean by the cave Natty! It's humungous!" Lizzie squeaked to Natalie and Claire, molding the damp sand in an attempt to build a castle.

"An ocean? With sharks?" Natalie asked, voice filled with childlike awe that made Lizzie laugh.

"Noooooo! No sharks!"

Shannon, who was sunbathing nearby, flipped onto her side. "Oh. My. God. This is the eighth time you've had this conversation. Can we please discuss something else?"

"Of course we can, as soon as you come up with a topic appropriate for a three year old. Cosmo doesn't count," Natalie snapped back. She hadn't forgotten the blonde's quip on the plane about her hair.

"I don't know… talk about… Barney or something. God!" Shannon pulled her sunglasses back over her eyes and continued baking.

Natalie sighed, moving closer to Claire, who was rolling her eyes. Lizzie had abandoned the castle, and was now dumping sand in her hair. Nearby, Natalie heard another group of crash survivors laughing as they talked.

"MICHAEL! MIKE!" Natalie heard someone shout. Looking up she saw Ryan careening down the beach entirely out of control.

"What's wrong?" Michael asked, grabbing Ryan by the shoulders and steadying him. The group he was sitting with followed him over.

"There was a cave in. Jack and Mackenzie are trapped," Ryan said breathlessly. Natalie heard Claire gasp at the same time she did, and felt the pregnant girl clutch her hand. "We need help digging out. They may still be alive."

"I'll go make sure the rocks are stabilized," Michael said quickly. "I worked construction. If we're not careful, we could kill them both. Scott, Steve, c'mon!"

The stockier of the two men looked annoyed. "_I'm_ Scott. He's Steve."

"Wait," Shannon said, sitting up. "There's two of you?"

"Can I help?" Natalie asked.

Michael looked hesitant. "Sorry Nat, we need you to watch Lizzie."

Following Ryan, the group ran into the jungle. "Damnit," Natalie muttered, realizing the only people left were her, Claire, and Lizzie. She couldn't leave them alone.

"I'll watch Lizzie if you want," someone offered. She saw Mia standing there.

"You sure?" she asked. Mia rarely came into camp, and never offered to help.

"Yeah, it's cool." She bent down. "Hey Lizzie, I'm Mia. Can I play with you?" The little girl instantly invited her to join in making sand pies.

Natalie turned to jog to the caves, but a lump on the beach prevented her from moving. "Are you going to come and help?" she snapped, worry for her father increasing.

"Do I look like the kind of girl who moves rocks?" Shannon demurred, filling in the letters to twenty-three across in her crossword puzzle.

"Even Mia's helping," Natalie hissed. "Congrats on becoming camp's most useless inhabitant."

Shannon stood suddenly, angrily pulling on a pair of jeans and a tank top over her bikini. "I may be a lot of things," she replied. "But don't you dare call me useless. Let's go."

OOO

"Jack?" Mackenzie called tentatively, hesitant to move from the safe corner she dove into during the collapse. The rocks had come down so quickly, she was still struggling to catch her breath. Dust was thick in the air, and she pulled off her t-shirt and covered her face. No sense in getting black lung. "Jack, are you okay?"

"I'm pinned," he said. She could tell he was trying to stay calm, but his voice cracked in pain. "My arm is pinned, it might be dislocated."

_Shit, _she thought. _Okay, Kenz, breathe. You've been in worse situations than this… okay, maybe not. But pull it together. Jack needs you._

"I'm gonna try and get over to you," she said softly.

"Is Charlie in here? Is he alright?" Jack asked.

She sighed. "I dunno Jack. I think I saw Brad pull him back, but I wasn't really looking. My best guess is that he's safe on the other side of that rock wall."

Now that the dust was starting to settle, dim beams of sunlight lit the dark floor of the cave. She could see Jack's shadow struggling against the weight of the rock pinning him down. Mackenzie tried to stand, but a biting pain rushed up her leg.

"What's the matter?" Jack asked.

She hadn't even realized she'd whimpered. _Okay, how did Dr. Gilman check to make sure it wasn't a break?_ Mackenzie ran her hands over her leg like she'd been taught during her short time at the Australia National University Medical School.

"I think I did something to my foot or ankle. I'm checking for a break."

"Damnit," Jack muttered. "How long do you think the air is going to hold out?"

Mackenzie's head snapped up. "Thanks for the optimism, Doc. I'm coming over." She was almost certain there was no break.

"No, Mackenzie—"

"Can it," she snapped, pushing herself onto her knees. "I'll crawl. I'll be fine." Propping herself up on her knee, her leg throbbed in pain again. She heard herself whimper.

"Don't worry about it Mackenzie. Don't waste your energy. I'm sure they're coming for us," Jack said.

Taking his advice, she lay back down on the ground, hoping rescue would come soon.

OOO

Feet pounding against the sand, Niki saw the beach camp in the distance. Lalah was right. The run had really cleared her mind. She felt ready to talk to Boone.

It had also imparted upon her a newfound piece of knowledge. Sand plus sneakers does not equal a win. The sand had piled up in her shoes, grating against her skin. Next time she ran, she was going barefoot.

Breathlessly, she jogged the last few yards into an abandoned camp. Not entirely abandoned- Mia was there, as well as Lizzie, Claire, and—

"NIKI!" Boone cried, grabbing her by the shoulders.

"What's the matter? Is someone hurt?" she asked, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

"Cave in. Jack and Kenzie are trapped. They need my help moving rocks. I need a favor."

It didn't even cross her mind to refuse, or even to give him a hard time. "Anything. What needs to be done?"

"When they went up the mountain with the transceiver, they found a radio signal that's been playing for sixteen years. Sayid is trying to find the source by triangulating the signal so we can send out our own distress call. I have an antenna, and so does Katherine. Sayid has the transceiver. He's going to shoot a bottle rocket when he's in place. When you see that rocket explode, shoot this one. There's the fuse, and here's a lighter," he said quickly, pointing it out. She didn't know how he was being so calm- she was panicking, both for the people trapped in the cave, and for herself. "Then Katherine will fire her rocket. Once all three have been fired, turn on the antenna, and make sure you stand out in the open."

"We are in the open," she said, not really thinking.

He looked up, and smiled reluctantly. "Yeah, I guess we are."

"Be careful Boone."

"No sweat."

Far behind her, she heard Natalie entertaining Lizzie. Claire was singing "Sweet Child Of Mine" to the baby, apparently attempting her best Axl Rose impression. Niki focused her attention on the sky, waiting, watching. She felt the sun beating down on her skin, probably burning, unaware of how much time had passed.

As the sun reached its peak and started to move downward, she heard it. A light 'pop' in the air. Then she saw a spray of paper falling toward the ground. Sayid was in place. Scrambling across the sand, she nearly burned her thumb as she opened the lighter. With the fuse set ablaze, she watched it fly into the air and explode. Only one more to go.

OOO

_"You sure you don't need a hand cleaning up Kat?" Hannah asked, collecting her sugar-high children. _

_Katherine glanced over the picnic site. It could have been much worse. Besides the last few plates and cups that needed to be picked up, and the shards of the decapitated Barbie piñata, most everything had been cleaned up. "Don't even worry about it Hannah. It'll take twenty minutes, it's still light out. We'll be out of here in a jiffy!"_

_"Okay then! See you at the office! Happy birthday Lizzie!"_

_"Happy birthday Lizzie!" two small children said in unison, following their mother out of the park. _

_"Bye 'Lisa! Bye Troy!" Lizzie shouted, though she wasn't really paying attention. She was much more focused on the hulking pile of gifts her friends had brought her. Katherine had no idea where they would fit them in the small cottage they called home._

_She cleared the last of the plates from the table and broke down the pizza boxes, chucking everything in the garbage. The piñata took longer to clean; tiny pieces of hot pink confetti littered the ground. She kneeled down, ignoring the fact she was getting grass stains. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Lizzie blowing bubbles._

_ A shadow fell over her as she cleaned. "Need a hand, Kat?"_

_Her head shot up. Dark hair fell over even darker eyes. A long but faded scar framed his right eye. He dressed casually, inconspicuously. His Russian accent, which had been fading when they first met, had faded even more. _

_"I tried to call. Your cell, your office. I knew it was our little girl's birthday," he said, his voice mocking. Then it made sense: the unknown numbers, the lack of response, the call from her father that didn't happen. How had he found her? How?_

_"What the hell do you want Dmitri?" She cursed the nerves that were evident in her voice._

_"I want my little girl back."_

OOO

"Natalie, you need to stop pulling rocks away! We don't know if that will destabilize the structure!" Katherine heard Michael say, his voice elevating in worry. "Where's Sayid?"

"He's triangulating a radio signal out in the jungle," Katherine announced as she walked into the cave encampment. "He won't be back til later."

She watched as Nathan's face perked up in interest. Katherine didn't inquire as to why though, because she had a bigger concern. Grabbing Natalie by the shoulder, she demanded, "Who's with Lizzie?"

Natalie had said she would stay. How could she leave a three year old on her own?

"Mia said she would stay on the beach. They're with Claire. She's alright," Natalie replied, distracted by watching Michael work. Relief flooded Katherine, even though she did not know Mia well. It was comfort enough to know that someone was with her.

The leaves rustled behind her. "I'm here," Boone announced, out of breathe from running up from the beach. No one acknowledged him. It apparently didn't bother him, as he joined the group, puzzling over how to move the stones.

Katherine watched as Michael tentatively climbed upon the rocks, observing the roof of the cave, as well as the structure of the pile. Walt stood nearby, watching his father in awe, as if realizing for the first time that his dad could be 'cool'.

"We can dig in here. It should be stable. Two people at a time, and not quickly. Everybody else, clear the smaller rocks away. Move slowly, we don't want the cave to collapse anymore," Michael said. Jay and Brad moved forward first, and were directed which stones to take.

"Remember to take frequent water breaks!" Katherine added, staring at Natalie. She and Shannon were waiting behind the two men to carry the next stones away.

As each rock was carried away, the structure remained stable. Michael's skill in knowing exactly which rocks to pull amazed Katherine. Soon a tiny hole was visible, growing larger and larger.

"STOP! Stop a second!" Michael called. "Jack! Mackenzie! Can you guys here me?"

"Yes! We're alright!" Mackenzie's voice emerged through the opening. "I did something to my leg, and Jack's pinned down. His arm's dislocated. We need someone to help us get out!"

Michael signaled for them to pull more rocks away. Gradually the hole grew large enough for someone small to slip through. "Ok, stop, stop…. It's big enough. Who wants to go in?"

"I'll go!" Natalie volunteered quickly.

"Absolutely not," Katherine said, her motherly side coming out. "It's too dangerous.

Everyone was quiet, no one quite as willing as the young teenager to risk their life. Finally, Charlie stepped forward. "I'll go. The rest of you have family, kids on the island or back home. I'm alone. No one to miss me."

"Charlie—" Brad started.

"Shove it…. Mike, give me a boost." Katherine watched as Charlie slid into the cave. He moved as quickly as he could through the passage. "I'm in!" she heard him shout from within.

The rocks rumbled again, slid down, closing off the only entrance into the cave.

OOO

_Stay uninvolved. Ben told you to stay uninvolved. They're going to murder me,_ Jason thought, miraculously maintaining a calm facade, as he stared at the bottle rocket at his feat.

When Katherine had caught his attention, he'd been on his way to observe at the beach. Goodwin may have decided to stay there permanently, but Jason knew he couldn't rely on the man for valuable information. So now he was forced to divide his days between the two camps, and pray that he didn't miss anything to vital.

When he heard about the cave in, he instantly wanted to go help. He didn't want to see anyone hurt- he had, after all, gotten to know these people. However, disasters like this often brought out the best and worst in people. That was valuable information.

And now Katherine was called away to help, and he was stuck launching the rocket.

An explosion resonated far above his head, light yellow sparks falling to the ground. Jason watched as the first bottle rocket exploded, like the fireworks he and Senna watched explode over Red Square on New Years. According to Katherine's harried instructions, Boone was next. Boone was reliable. Jason was certain the second rocket would explode soon.

_To shoot, or not to shoot…_ Clearly that was the big question. Would Sayid be able to make contact with the outside world? Jason had his doubts. Hadn't Joshua once mentioned something about a blocked signal? Jason wasn't privy to Ben's secret operations on the island. He'd only been on the island three years.

But what if Sayid did make contact? The entire island operation would be discovered, and the only person whose ass would be on the line was his.

Still, if he didn't shoot the rocket, the other survivors would know he didn't want to escape the island, and that would raise all sorts of questions…

Ben had said not to get involved. But the only way to stay incognito was to get involved.

Another bang, this one loud and sharp, echoed over the trees. Sparks fluttered toward the ground. "Fuck," Jason muttered.

Instinct took over, and he flicked the switch and set off the third rocket. He could only hope that rumor of the signal block was true.

OOO

"I'm in!" Charlie shouted. Mackenzie grinned at the sight of him "Never fear, rescue is here!"

Outside, she heard a loud noise, and all the light that had just started flooding in disappeared. The rocks blocked all the noise from outside, and a dead silence reigned over the caves. "Shit," she heard Jack mutter.

"I'm gonna try and move this rock off you, mate," Charlie said. "Brace yourself." Mackenzie heard him count softly to three, and then throw his weight against the rock. Apparently, it moved, because she heard Jack give a grunt of pain.

"My shoulder's dislocated. You need to help me put it back in place," Jack said hurriedly. She knew he was worried about the oxygen supply, especially now that there were three of them trapped in the cave. If the others didn't dig quickly, they would all be dead.

"I dunno if I can do that," Charlie said.

"Yes, you can, all you have to do is pull on my arm. That's it," Jack encouraged.

"I bloody well can't do that!"

"You have to, man."

"No! I'm not going to bugger things up more than I already have!" Charlie shouted.

"I can't help Mackenzie if you don't help me first." She suddenly felt useless. _Stupid leg… stupid cave in! How am I supposed to get out of here?_

The cave was quiet, and she wished there was light, so she could see what was happening. Jack's words had convinced Charlie. He counted to five, and she heard a snap and two screams: the first, Jack in agony over his shoulder being put back into place, and the second Charlie, in surprise at hearing Jack shout.

"Mackenzie, talk to me so we can find you."

She started talking, babbling about her hatred of rocks and airplanes, and how she never planned to travel again as long as she lived, until she felt a hand upon her shoulder. "Found you," she heard Charlie whisper in her ear. She heard Jack take a seat near her leg, while Charlie took her hand. She felt his hand trembling in her's.

"How long have you been sober?" she asked quietly, not wanting Jack to overhear as he examined her leg.

"Since the crash," he admitted. "Not by choice, I lost my stash when the plane went down. Locke has it now. "

"It's gotta be hard. I wish you'd told me before, I would have tried to help you," she admitted.

"Why would you help a useless junkie?" he asked, and she could hear genuine confusion in his voice.

She sighed. "You're not useless, Charlie. You came to rescue me, didn't you? I think that counts for something."

"I think it's just a sprain," Jack announced from her feet. "I'll be able to tell once we get out in the open."

Mackenzie waited for Charlie to reply to what she said, but he let go of her hand. "Do you guys see that?"

"What?"

"It's a moth…" Charlie stood and followed the insect. "Holy… I think I found a way out!"

OOO

Vincent was howling, barking, but Jay tuned it out. He was too busy moving rocks as fast as he could, watching little Natalie nearly killing herself in her own effort. The rescue attempt was getting desperate now. To lose three people on one day, especially their unofficial leader, would be devastating.

The dog barked again. "Walt, can you quiet your dog down?" Jay called as politely as he could given the circumstances. He wanted to focus, needed the quiet.

"Sorry!" the boy called out, running after the golden retriever. He disappeared near the back of the cave, following Vincent. Then he shouted, "DAD! DAD!"

Michael's head shot up. "Walt! What happened? Walt?"

"Dad! The doctor! They escaped!" Jay heard the boy cry. He dropped the rock he was holding, following the sound of Walt's voice. Near where the cave met the ground, there was a small crawl space covered in moss and vines. The doctor was crawling out, clearly favoring one arm. Katherine rushed over and began checking him over.

_Thank God. At least I don't have to explain to Christian why is son is dead. _

"I need to go back for the others," Jack protested weekly.

"You can play doctor once this doctor is sure you're alright," Katherine replied.

"Jay, is that you?" Charlie called out of the cave.

"Yeah!"

"Help pull Kenzie out, she hurt her leg."

He saw the girl's arm stretching out toward the opening. She was scooting through the crawl space, exerting all her energy. He grabbed her arm and pulled her out. Charlie followed close behind, not straying far from Mackenzie's side.

"Thank God," Lalah muttered next to him. "Thank God they're all right."

"Agreed," Jay said. "Now aren't you glad we decided to live on the beach?"

O O O

_Katherine moved away from Dmitri, blocking the path from him to Lizzie. "Absolutely not. You're psychotic. You didn't want to be a father, you gave her up. And then when you couldn't have her, you wanted be a father. You tried to kill me to get her. How do I know you won't hurt her? You had a chance to be in our life, Dmitri. There's no way in hell, after everything you've put us through, I would let you back in."_

_His eyes seemed to glaze over, his target obvious. Katherine glanced quickly at Lizzie over her shoulder. She wasn't paying attention, hadn't noticed what was occurring. "If you touch her, I'll kill you," she threatened._

_"Right. What about do no harm?" He took two steps toward her, and she moved back. She saw what he was trying to do: trap her against the picnic table._

_Her mind was racing. Wouldn't she and Lizzie ever going to be safe? Why hadn't she insisted upon witness protection program? It had been an option, but she was stubborn. She thought she could disappear. They were invisible in Australia. Only her parents knew they were there. How had he found them?_

_Step by step, he backed her toward the picnic table. In moments she would be trapped, and presumably, dead. Finally dead, just the way he wanted her. God, Katherine should have killed him when she had the knife in her hand, when he'd attacked her in the kitchen of her home in Texas. _

_She felt the splintered wood of the picnic table against the back of her knees. If she didn't think of something, he would take Lizzie. _

_"We could be a family, Kat. You and me. A family again, just like in the old days," he whispered harshly._

_"The old days when you nearly shot me in my office? The old days when you locked me in the garage with the car on and I nearly died of carbon monoxide poisoning? No. You will _never _touch my daughter again. Never!"_

_"Think again Kat," he said, lunging forward towards her._

_Moving on instinct and fear combined, she jumped out of the way. She heard Lizzie shout in surprise as Dmitri landed on the picnic bench. He lay there in shock, collecting himself. Katherine desperately searched for something with which to defend herself._

_The piñata. They'd used a baseball bat to crack it open. It was back by the tree, leaning against it. Without taking her eyes from the little girl, she ran for the tree. She heard Dmitri get up, the old wood cracking under his weight. The steel bat was in her hand._

_Turning, she saw Dmitri running towards Lizzie. She sprinted, lifting the bat high above her head. She felt crazed, absolutely out of control, and she was aware only of the fierce drive to protect her child. No one would touch her little girl, absolutely no one. Not on her watch. _

_She swung as hard as she could, momentum picking up faster than she anticipated. Loudly, the steel of the bat connected with his head, and it recoiled, knocking her over. Sprawled on the ground, she watched Dmitri stumble, then collapse. He was knocked out._

_Katherine looked over at Lizzie, who was now bawling. She looked terrified, sitting among the pile of gifts her friends had given her. "Lizzie, we have to leave," she said as calmly as she could, heart racing. She knew she'd knocked him out cold, but she was unable to stop staring at his unconscious body._

_There was no one around them to see what had happened. They could run, and no one could tell Dmitri where they had gone. "Sweetie, grab one of your toys to bring with us. We have to leave," she said. _

_"You already said that mama," Lizzie said through tears, picking up and Magna Doodle and a stuffed bear. "We leavin' 'Stralia?"_

_"Yes. We're going home to grandma and poppy." Katherine picked up her daughter and left the party scene as it was. The walk to her car had never seemed so long, but she knew the journey ahead of her would be even longer._

_They were on the run again._

OOO

The sun was setting by the time Katherine returned to the beach for Lizzie. She was exhausted, body aching from moving rocks, mind burned out from worrying over Jack, Mackenzie, and Charlie. Most of the residents of the beach camp had returned earlier, and were relaxing as if nothing had happened. It was to be expected- if they lived in constant worry over the next disaster, they'd all go crazy.

She found Lizzie near the water, burying Mia in heavy, wet sand. "Look Mama! It's a Mia Mermaid!" she announced proudly, and Katherine could see poorly constructed fins at the bottom of the pile.

"Very nice sweetie, why don't you get ready to go back to the caves? You should say goodbye to Claire" The little girl tottered away, collecting her make-shift beach toys and hugging the pregnant woman. Katherine wanted to talk to Mia alone, to thank her for watching Lizzie.

The blonde teen actually looked nervous as she broke out of the sand fins. "Listen, I know you're kind of overprotective, I can tell that from watching you," Mia started babbling. "And I know I don't come around camp that often, and no one really knows me. But Natalie seemed really worried about the cave-in, and I used to watch kids, and I just figured—"

"Mia, I'm not here to yell at you, if that's what you think," Katherine interrupted. She wished she was surprised by Mia's reaction, but she really wasn't. She knew she was super overprotective, knew it was something she had to stop. "I have some extra fish up at the caves that the Korean man caught me. I noticed that you don't eat the boar meat. You're a vegetarian, right? I'm going to bring you some of that fish tomorrow. To thank you. I really appreciate what you did for me today, and for Natalie and Claire. I'm sure Mackenzie will appreciate it too."

The girl stood gaping, and Katherine wondered if she was used to kindness. "Th… thanks," she said quickly, retreating across the beach towards her hut at the edge of the jungle.

Katherine picked up Lizzie from where she sat near Claire. "Mackenzie's fine Claire, just has a sprained ankle. Charlie's going to help her back down here as soon as Jack finishes wrapping her ankle."

Claire sighed, relief flooding over her features. "Thanks Kat."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Wait! It's too dark out for you and Lizzie to walk back to the caves tonight. Why don't you stay in our tent til the morning? It's safer," Claire insisted.

Katherine immediately accepted the offer, knowing it would be stupid to attempt walking back to the caves. It would be pitch black before they were halfway there, and she did not want to face whatever was in the jungle.

She was placing Lizzie down on the sand, when she saw Boone return to the beach. He carried a bright purple flower that she could not identify in his hand. "Wow, what's the occasion?" she asked as she approached him.

"To thank Niki. She took care of the bottle rocket and antenna for me today so I could go to help with the cave in. I wasn't sure how else to thank her, especially since I was kind of a dick to her the past few days…"

"She'll love it," Katherine assured him. "Have you seen Sayid? Do you think the plan worked?"

"He's not back yet. I guess we'll find out in the morning," Boone said with a shrug. "I'm gonna go put this in her tent before she gets back. I wanna surprise her."

Katherine laughed. "Good luck with that!"

She returned to the tent where she would stay the night, and took a seat near the fire. She hadn't said anything to Boone, but she was worried about Sayid. They'd set off the rockets hours ago. He should have been back by now. Intuition told her something had gone wrong.

Katherine didn't move from the fire, not when Mackenzie returned, carried over the tent threshold by the ever-gallant Charlie. She didn't move when Niki returned to her tent next door, and asked Claire where the purple flower had come from. She didn't even move when Hurley and Charlie declared they would sing Ninety-nine Bottles of Beer on the Wall over and over until rescue came (Though she'd noticed they'd only made it to eighty-seven when Sawyer demanded, "Shut up, Sonny and Cher.").

Katherine sat, and she waited, until she could no longer keep her eyes opened. Still Sayid did not come. Eventually she fell asleep, one question repeating in her mind.

_Where the hell is Sayid?_

OOO

_Earlier that afternoon…_

"Yes, come on, yes!" he heard Sayid whisper, excitement filling his voice. His words were encouraging, as if, like a small child learning to walk, the radio in his hand could be coerced into transmitting.

He moved closer to Sayid, struggling not to rustle the bushes that hid his body or crack the twigs beneath his feet. He gripped the heavy stick tightly in his hand. Several times he thought the Iraqi man had caught sight of him, but his focus was on the radio alone.

"Three bars, please just one more. Come on! Come –"

He heard the sound of wood hitting something hard, and watched Sayid collapse onto the ground. The transceiver rolled away, the wires within snapping and breaking with soft pings and tings.

"You can come out now Nathan," an unfamiliar voice called. Without thinking, he stepped out into the open and approached the man. "I don't believe we've met yet, son. The name's John Locke." He offered his hand. Still slightly confused, not to mention very nervous that the old man may have homicidal tendencies, Nathan shook hands with him.

"So Nathan, do you want to tell me why you were going to stop Sayid from trying to reach the outside world? Or should I go first?" The old man grinned.

"Wait… what? How did you know?" Nathan suddenly became ashamed of his planned course of action.

"Educated guess. Nothing to be ashamed of, I clearly had the same intent." The man was a mind reader.

Nathan sighed. "They all keep telling me that I imagined other survivors. That I wasn't in the tail section. Well guess what? I know what I saw. I know my best friend is alive. And Aly and Russ, Ana Lucia and Sophie. They are all alive. I may not remember what happened to me the past few days, but I'll be damned if they tell me that first day on the island was a hallucination." All the anger and annoyance he felt the past twenty-four hours came spilling out as he explained his motives. "If Sayid made contact with the outside world, it'd be forty to one against my story. They wouldn't look for the others. And I'm not leaving this island until they're found."

Locke said nothing, only nodded. Then, after sitting a spell, he said, "I believe you. There's something about this island. It's special. And I feel like whatever forces control this island, they'll reunite us with your friends."

Nathan said nothing, still freaked out by the older man. "We should head back to camp before Sayid wakes up," Locke said calmly, looking over the body.

"Aren't you going to tell me why you hit him?"

"That, Nathan, is a story for another day."

* * *

**Hope you liked the chapter! I'm pretty proud of this one- it's the longest to date (not on purpose), and I think it's the first time in a while I managed to get all the mid-section OC's into one chapter. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter: Hope, HeroineInducedPanic, Son of Adam, Moonlight Gardenias, Golden-Black Dragon, GreenTeaHoney, Girafe13, and selenhekate. I really appreciate your insights! **

**Next chapter, we'll be returning to our tailies, where JP is knocked out in the woods, and most everyone thinks Ana Lucia is insane. We'll also be seeing the Others, where Alice and Kate are hatching an escape plan, Eric is trying to get in on the deal, Alex is distraught, and there's a cat fight over Ben a'brewing. **

**Please leave a review and let me know what you think! Best wishes to all! Jac  
**


	14. Lookin' Good Like A Snake In The Grass

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lost! All characters belong to their respective creator. All references to popular culture also don't belong to me, rather to their own owner/creator. Title of the chapter comes from the song "Don't Bring Me Down" by the Electric Light Orchestra.  
**

**

* * *

  
**

**Chapter Ten**

"_Curiosity killed the cat, but for a while I was a suspect"_

_-_Stephen Wright

* * *

_"Jesus Christ, are you alright?" Peyten heard Kit shout, as she lay flat on the ground. The earth-shaking rumble had sent her flying over the handlebars of her bike, slamming her into the dirt. The pain coursing through her was intense, and she was breathless from her initial impact with the ground. _

_"There's a pretty good chance every bone in my body is broken. If so, please just leave me--- Holy shit!" The word vomit just erupted as she gazed at the sky, certain she had a concussion and was hallucinating. _

_She watched as Kit turned his head to the sky, witnessing what she saw. An airplane was breaking up over the island, smoke trails filling the air. Luggage, chairs, clothing, bodies, metal were all descending rapidly, the two largest chunks of the plane careening towards the island._

_"You don't suppose there's any chance that Ben didn't notice that, right?" Peyten asked Kit as he helped her up._

_"Not a chance in hell."_

_"We have to get back," Peyten said. "I'm sure Ben's cooking up some sort of plan already. If it's anything like what mom and dad experienced when the cruise ship crashed, we'll have new faces in town within the next few days."_

_"Like when I came?" Kit asked. Sometimes Peyten forgot that he and his sister Juliet had only been here a few years. She felt like she'd known them her whole life. _

_"Not quite. You were a special mission. No, the ship crashed here unexpectedly. Taking my family was like damage control .That's what this'll be. Damage control."_

_Kit frowned. "I hate Ben. I really do," he said quietly. "I mean, why can't he just let the people go?"_

_ "Ben's not so bad, you know," Peyten said, getting back on her bicycle. While she would never be the leader of Ben's fan club (the holder of that honor was disputed, depending on who was winning the Blair-Madelyn cat fight), but he was Alex's dad. "Sure, he's weird, and it's really hard to understand his actions sometimes. But what he does is for the good of the island, and for our own good. I mean, come on, we're all still here and still alive."_

_"Though half of us would have preferred not to be here from the start."_

_Shaking her head, she started cycling back to the barracks slowly, still feeling unsteady after her fall. Kit walked beside her, one hand on the bike to keep her from falling off again. At the pace they were moving, it was going to be a long walk back. _

_In the distance she heard an explosion, loud and resonant and she sighed. Everything was going to change. Again._

_

* * *

  
_

**Day 5**

Peyten knocked firmly on the door of the terracotta house with the white beams. She was impatient, nervous. She was absolutely depending on Juliet, and she'd promised she'd come through with the information she needed. It was the only hope she had.

The door swung open, and Peyten quickly jumped aside to make room for Mallory Roux, who was taking her leave. The old woman terrified her more than that polar bear that ran about the jungle. "Trust me on this Juliet. He can't be trusted. Don't get your hopes up, alright? Because you're alright in my book, and I don't want to see—can I help you?"

The sharp words forced Peyten to stop staring, and she looked up at the old woman with the scar across her neck. "I… I'm just here to see Juliet."

"Well, as you can see, I'm speaking to her right now. So why don't you take that little red bike of yours and go home until later."

Juliet smiled calmly at Peyten, reassuring. "Actually, I promised Pey I'd see her this afternoon. But I would love to continue this conversation with you later. Perhaps after dinner tonight?"

Mallory smiled, which was actually just pursing her lips into a straight line, the edges slightly upturned. Peyten had never seen her give a true smile. "Alright Jules. Tonight then. And you…" she turned back to her, glaring. "Behave."

The woman, still spry as ever, hurried away. Juliet held the door open wide so that Peyten could enter. "Sit, I'll get us some drinks," she said.

Peyten shook her head. "Did you talk to him?"

"Sweetie, he's not an easy man to track down. He's busy, especially with that plane crash. Things are a bit hectic right now." Juliet shrugged her shoulder, acting cold, as if nothing of great importance had happened.

Peyten wasn't buying it, and it downright pissed her off that Juliet was acting like nothing had happened. "Quit the bullshit, Juliet. Is that what Ben told you to tell me? Because I don't buy it. Just be honest with me. I can take it. Did he answer my question or not? Where are my parents?"

She sighed, allowing some emotion to show. "I'm sorry. He wouldn't tell me. I tried asking him four or five times in different ways, but every damn time he evaded the question. I'm so sorry Peyten, but I'll keep trying."

Never before had she felt so disappointed and afraid. Where had he sent them? Why wouldn't Ben let her see them? She'd never done anything intentionally against the rules, and she'd be damned if she stifled her natural curiosity because Benjamin Linus preferred secrets to the truth.

Juliet squeezed her hands, pulling her from her thoughts. "Maybe if you talked to Alex? You don't have to go through this alone."

She snorted bitterly. "What, and rain in on her and Karl's little love parade? The two of them have barely said two words to me since they started dating. And I'd talk to Kit, but he's too busy being depressed over the fact that Alex chose Karl. You really should talk to him about that."

"It's gonna be okay, Peyten," Juliet said quietly, trying to comfort her.

Somehow Peyten doubted that was true.

OOO

Sophie sighed, turning onto her stomach so she could see the jungle. The shock of losing Justin was beginning to wear off, and now she was worried. More than she had been when she left Manchester and moved to Hollywood on her own.

Behind her, she could hear the loud splashes in the ocean of Russ and Gavin, who had sharpened sticks into makeshift harpoons and were trying to fish. After six days in the baking sun, they were starving. Thank God, Ethan and Shawn had found a freshwater stream in the jungle that they could drink from. Otherwise they'd already be dead of dehydration.

"What's the matter, Soph?" Aly asked from her spot next to her.

"Do you think they're still alive?"

"Who? The people who were taken the first night?" Aly asked, her face dropping. Sophie knew her friend felt incredibly guilty over Nathan's disappearance. He'd stopped the shadowy strangers from taking her, at his own expense.

"No. JP and Nila and Tony. I don't think they're coming back," she confessed.

"Soph—"

She couldn't help but cut her off, not wanting to hear false comfort. "They've been gone for two days, Aly! Two whole days! Nila is so not all there, and Tony is verging on psychotic. Poor JP was the only normal one of the lot, and if Nila and Tony didn't kill him, whatever was knocking the trees down in the jungle probably did. And what if those people got them too?"

Aly sat up, shaking the sand out of her hair. "Sophie, calm down. We can't give up hope on them that quickly. Sure, Tony's a creeper, but that doesn't mean he took them in the wrong direction. Maybe, he had some fruit hidden away closer to camp, and the actual trees are farther away. That's possible, right?"

"I guess."

"Don't worry too much, Sophie. If they're not back soon, I'm sure Ana Lucia will send out a search party. Or Nandi. Or whoever's in charge here today."

Sophie snorted. "I'm thinking we should make Donald the leader. He's too ill to cause us any problems."

There was a loud splash, and Sophie turned around. Aly was laughing hysterically. Gavin was pulling himself out of the water after a spectacular belly flop, his harpoon broken in half. The two men stared at each other, and then started laughing.

Slowly, Sophie joined in. Everything was just so bloody bizarre and frightening, that if she didn't laugh, she'd probably go insane.

OOO

Donald groaned, trying to roll over. His face was clammy cold, but bright red from lying in the sun over the past days.

"Hold him still," Libby said quietly and calmly, and Katya followed her directions immediately. Though normally she did not like to take commands from anyone, she was far from an expert in medicine and had to trust the other woman's judgment. She held down the older man's arms, while Libby took his legs. They both held on tight, though he struggled against them.

"Do you need some help?" Lucy asked. Though she sat farther away from Donald holding baby Hope, she could easily hear everything that was happening.

"We're fine, Lu," Libby replied, gritting her teeth as Donald tried to kick her off. "Donald I need you to lie very still for me. I know you're in pain. I know it hurts. But if you want to pull through this and fight the infection off, you have to lay still for me. You're little girls need their dad, don't they? Think of how proud they'll be of you when you get back to the states, when they found out how you survived a plane crash!"

Katya was impressed by just how soothing Libby's actions were to the man, as he stopped moving. "Grab me a bottle of water, Katya"

She complied quickly, reminding herself again that Libby was the expert. Going to the stash of water bottles they'd been lucky enough to find floating in the ocean, she said "I only have half a bottle left here, Libby."

"Give it to me anyway. Is Ethan around?"

Katya nodded, calling his name. Moments later, Ethan came jogging across the beach, followed closely by the younger boy, Shawn, who had become his shadow. "I need you to go fill the water bottles again. Donald needs water, "Libby said.

"Sure thing, Lib," Ethan replied, immediately gathering the water bottles into his arms.

"I'll come with you!" Shawn volunteered.

Libby smiled, though Katya could see worry plain on her face. "Actually I need your help Shawn. Can you take Lucy and the baby further down the beach towards the signal fire? Nandi is down there. Just stay there for a while for me, alright?"

Shawn nodded, but it was evident that he didn't understand why he couldn't go with Ethan. "Hey Lu, come down beach with me?" he said, his disappointment not evident in his voice.

"Why?"

Shawn stuttered and stammered for a minute, staring at the other three for help in why he was supposed to bring her away. "Um… well… I… I was thinking…"

"He wants to get to know you," Katya said bluntly, and Shawn's face turned bright red. He shot her a death glare, which she returned with equal iciness.

Lucy smiled. "Well then. Help me up." The two headed back toward the signal fire, Lucy bouncing the baby in her arms. Ethan nodded to the two women, and made his way into the jungle.

"Donald is going to die," Katya said once she confirmed that the man on the ground was sound asleep.

Libby frowned. "Way to be blunt. But yes, if rescue doesn't come soon, he's going to die. The infection in his leg… it's bad. There's nothing I can do about it."

"It's not your fault the plane crashed," Katya offered. She wasn't good at comforting people, but she hated when they felt guilty for events they had no control over.

"You'd make a very good doctor, Katya. You keep your cool very well. None of this has shaken you. I don't know what you do back in the real world, but you should consider a career switch."

With a smirk and a nod, she smoothed back Donald's hair thinking, _You don't want to know what I do back in the real world._

OOO

Blair waited at the bubbling stream patiently, dipping her tired feet in the water. Running between the two survivors' camps gathering information was starting to wear her out. Ethan had said he'd be there sometime during the afternoon. It was now edging towards sunset, and she wanted to be safe back in her home before nightfall.

Behind her, she heard the bushes move and she tensed. Blair suspected she'd been followed from the Barracks, and she had her suspicions as to who was waiting for her. _God damn, Madelyn. Just leave me the hell alone. _

The woman was obsessed with Ben and hated any other woman who got close to him. This wouldn't be bad, but Blair was third in command after Joshua. The two of them, along with Ben and Ethan, were the only remnants of the Dharma era on the island, the only ones to escape the Purge. They had a special friendship. Okay, and maybe Blair harbored deeper feelings Ben. Not like they were likely to ever be returned, given his obsession with Juliet.

Taking her feet out of the water, she edged toward the bushes without her shoes on hoping to catch Madelyn waiting there.

"Blair?"

Ethan had arrived. "I was starting to worry about you. How long can you stay?"

"I'm filling water bottles for a man dying on the beach. I have as long as it takes to fill the bottles. I can't risk looking suspicious. Three people are missing in the woods already, and Ana Lucia is a loose cannon, wandering off at all hours." He knelt beside the stream, opening the first of the bottles.

Blair sighed, grateful that she didn't need too much information beyond a yes or no. She knew that Ethan's opinions on people were typically dead on. "Alright, I'll name people, you tell me if they are good or not. Fair?"

"Shoot."

"Ana Lucia Cortez," she began.

"No."

"Anthony Prince."

"Absolutely not. And he's currently lost in the jungle. With him are Jonathan Pierre Arene-Carlton, who's a yes, and Nila Spann, who's a definite no." She quickly jotted down everything he said into the notebook she was carrying.

"Maybe we can try to have someone grab Jonathan while he's missing. Alison Ward was one of the first we tried for. Still a yes?"

"Yes," Ethan confirmed. "She's close with Sophie Stevens, who's a maybe. Also Russ Knowles, who is a no, and Gavin Tesla, who is a yes."

"Good. This is progress. Now Elizabeth, known as Libby. No last name?"

"She hasn't said it yet. She's a no, as well as Ekaterina Ivanov , Eko Tunde, and Bernard Nadler. Eko may be someone to look at again, though, later. On second thought, make Eko a maybe."

Blair's list was growing longer as the pile of water bottles got shorter. "That leaves Lucy Nielson and her baby, Shawn Davenport, and Nandi Mqwebu. Lucy is obviously a yes, if nothing else to find out how she was able to have her baby here."

"Agreed. She's a sweet girl as well. She'll fit in well. Nandi I'm on the fence about still. She has her moments, but for the most part I think she'll be a no. And Shawn… Shawn is special, Blair."

"You mean—"

"Yeah. Exactly," Ethan said excitedly, closing the last of the water bottles. "I gotta get back. You'll let me know when you're coming?"

She finished jotting down her notes, amazed at Ethan's revelation. "Look for Kim. Ben's made her his new runner. " Ethan nodded. "Be safe." Within moments he was gone.

The bushes rustled again. "Damnit, get out here Madelyn!" Blair hissed, not wanting to draw attention to herself.

The petite blonde stumbled out, a look of innocence on her face. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"What the fuck are you doing stalking me?" Blair seethed, annoyed.

Madelyn's face turned positively angry. "Just making sure you don't betray him. Ben may trust you, but I sure as hell don't. I've suggested this before, and I'll suggest it again. Stay away from him Blair. Because you don't want to know the consequences of staying close to him. He's mine." She turned on her heal, and marched back into the jungle.

Blair rolled her eyes and followed. Thanks to Ethan, she now had good news to report to Ben.

* * *

**Day 6  
**

"Becca Chase," she heard a voice behind her call as she lounged comfortably upon the ruins of the Black Rock. She nearly smiled at the gentle familiarity that came with it, but instead pulled her 9mm out of its holster on her waist.

"Try that again?" she said, holding the gun at the man.

"Hey there, Becky!"

She removed the safety and aimed.

"Alright, alright. Hello _Rebecca_."

"Jesus, Richard. One would think after all these years together you'd know that I hate nicknames."

He smirked. "And one would think after all these years, you'd realize I get no greater joy than teasing the hell out of you. Are you on vacation again?"

Rebecca climbed down, careful not to knock into the dynamite stores that remained on the ancient ship. "Define what you mean by vacation. This is more an escape from Ben. Have you heard from Mira?"

"She's off island again. Recruiting. What happened between you and Ben this time?"

Rebecca sighed, running a hand through her hair. She and Richard had been friends for… well… at least a century at this point. She'd stopped keeping track a while before. In all their lives, they'd only argued once. She hated Benjamin Linus while he supported him, and it drove her half crazy

"You must have heard about that little girl's parents? He sent them away without so much as an explanation to her! He's punishing her! How is that right? We're supposed to be good people here, Richard. Good people don't do that!" She felt her face getting red in anger. Rebecca knew her temper had never been the best.

"I've been meaning to talk to him about that," Richard replied sheepishly. "You know, I don't agree with everything he does."

She shrugged. Richard continued. "But I didn't come out here for that. I have some news that'll make your day better."

"You're going to Purge Ben?" she deadpanned, though part of her was entirely serious.

"No. Blair came back from her meeting with Ethan last night with good news. One of the survivors… he's special."

It was the best news Rebecca had heard in months.

OOO

Tony reached the streambed, gasping for breath. He hadn't run this much in thirty years, not since he graduated from college as a member of the cross-country team. Gazing in the water, he observed his appearance. Not quite messy enough for someone who was about to claim they'd been chased all the way back to camp.

_Damnit, _he thought, grabbing a handful of silt and rubbing it into his normally pristine hair. This was not going to be as easy as he thought.

After he knocked JP out, he ran like a madman. He didn't worry about grabbing more food- he had enough of a store hidden near camp to last him a few days. He didn't even turn around when he heard Nila screaming, the melodramatic bitch. He ran and he planned his story.

They were attacked! Those people… those people had returned and grabbed JP and Nila. They tried to get him, but by some miracle, he managed to escape. Every detail was calculated in his head. He was banking that JP would be too disoriented from the hit to find his way back. Nila didn't even have a chance on her own.

"Thank God," he muttered, ripping one of his sleeves partially off his shirt. He popped some of the buttons off as well.

_What if rescue came though? What if they're waiting for the three of us, or they send out a search party? _

He pushed the thoughts aside. Besides, Cindy had already made it pretty clear that there was no chance they were going to be found. All his bases were covered, as usual. You don't get far in the business world if you can't cover you're bases.

Tony moved back from the stream, ran forward, and forced himself to slide on his belly through the mud. Now it looked like he'd been chased, and fell in his attempt to escape. He mussed his hair a bit more, and then looked at his reflection again. The others would believe his story now.

He stopped to regain his bearings. He was about fifteen minutes outside of camp. Breathing in deeply, he sprinted as fast as he can, running into bushes and barbs and low tree branches. He let them scratch his face and tear at his clothes, knowing they could only help support his story. _Damn, why did I stop exercising? _he thought bitterly.

Finally, Tony stumbled onto the beach, falling to his knees. "Help!" he shouted, catching his breath. "Help me!"

_I could win an Oscar for this. _

"Oh my God! Tony!" he heard Nandi. Looking up from the sand, he saw her running over, followed closely by Eko and Ana Lucia. More were following behind them

Nandi slid across the sand, helping him to sit up. "What happened? Where are the others? Are you alright?"

"They… those people… they attacked at the fruit grove. They took JP and Nila. I escaped. They were chasing me back here; I don't know when I lost them."

"We're gonna have to be on our guard tonight," Ana muttered.

"Agreed," Nandi added. The two women glared at each other over Tony, but there was an obvious feeling of respect that passed between them. "Russ, Gavin, help Tony over to the infirmary by Libby. She'll look him over."

"Dude, you're a wreck," Gavin said, lifting him up on one shoulder.

Tony nodded, going limp. _Perfect. Just perfect._

He missed the conversation that passed between Nandi and Ana as he was carried away.

"Do you believe him?" the Hispanic woman asked.

"Not a bit," Nandi replied.

"Agreed."

OOO

_As Peyten approached camp with Kit, she could see many of the adults returning to their homes looking dazed. Goodwin was still outside talking to his wife, stealing glances at Juliet. Josh, Ben, and Blair were also conferencing quietly. _

_"KIT! PEY! Did you guys see that?" Kim was careening down the path, Emily trailing behind her. _

_"What the hell happened?" Kit asked. _

_"A plane crashed!" Emily exclaimed._

_Kit rolled his eyes. "I meant beyond the obvious, silly." _

_"You sure you're not really a blonde, Em?" Kim asked. "To answer your question, Ben's already planning. He's sending Jason and Goodwin to one part of the plane, and Ethan to another to observe. Senna's freaking out already."_

_Peyten could see Kit getting annoyed, and as the four made their way back to the barracks, she grabbed him by the arm. "You ok?"_

_"He's sending Goodwin because of my sister," whispered Kit._

_"What?"_

_"Ben has a thing for Juliet. Juliet's been seeing Goodwin- she doesn't know I know- and Ben is doing this to keep them away from each other." His eyes were dark, blazing with anger. _

_Peyten didn't know what to say, so she focused on riding her bike, staring at the road ahead. "Hey Mr. Linus!" she heard Emily call out cheerfully. He nodded his hello, continuing the opposite direction down the path. _

_She stopped in her path, curious as to why Ben would choose this precise moment to leave. A plane had just crashed on the island; he was sending three people away. Why would he go for a walk now? Where was he going? It was no secret that Benjamin Linus loved secrets. And it was no secret that Peyten loved solving a good mystery._

_"Kit! I lost my bracelet!" Peyten spit the words out before she even had a chance to plan a lie out._

_"When?" he asked. _

_"When I fell off my bike. I'm going back to get it. I'll meet up with you later, alright?" Without waiting for an answer, she pedaled away, waving and smiling at Ben when she passed him again. She backtracked to where she'd fallen, pretending to hunt for the missing bracelet. _

_Ben passed her again, not even acknowledging her. As soon as he was a good distance away, she got back on her bike and drove it into the tall grass on the edge of the road to a point where it was well concealed. _

_Then, quietly as she could, she followed Ben into the jungle. _

OOO

Peyten opened the door of her lonely, empty house cautiously. She wanted it to be Ben at the door, but at the same time, she didn't want it to be. With all the anger building up in her over the past few days, she didn't know how she'd react to the man. Frankly, she thought she might hit him first, then ask questions, but she feared she might go the way of her parents: into the unknown.

"Peyten, it's Anna, let me in!"

Her interest was instantly piqued. Anna was known among the teenagers of the community as being cold and distant. She never put herself out there, never really got to know anybody. She couldn't figure out what Anna could want.

"Hi," she said, opening the door.

"Hey. Can I come in? I brought hot cocoa." She held up the metal thermos in her hand.

Peyten frowned. "What do you want?" She knew she was being rude, but she couldn't help it. This was the lowest point in her life, and she couldn't even depend on her best friends because they were too wrapped up in their own lives.

"To talk. Juliet was telling me about what happened with your parents."

She felt her eyebrow rise. Anna had been on the island since she was a little girl, and Peyten could count the number of times they'd spoken on one hand. "Come in," she said.

"You have mugs in the kitchen?" Anna said. "No, sit. I'll get them."

Anna returned to the living room with two steaming mugs of hot cocoa, passed one to Peyten, and took a seat on the couch next to her. "I know you're wondering why I'm here. We've never really talked. I've never really taken the time to get to know anyone here. But when Jules told me that he took your parents, I guess it reminded me of my own life, in a way."

"Did Ben take your parents too?" Peyten asked, sipping the absolutely delicious drink.

"No. I don't know how, but Ben had my parents' names and information about their life. Information that no one outside of our family would know. He didn't target them, though. He targeted me. When I was sixteen, he sent Richard to kidnap me. They drugged me and brought me to this island. I lived with Mallory, which was no walk in the park. You know her personality."

Peyten nodded. She had always assumed Anna volunteered to come here. That her family had left the island, and she decided to stay behind. It never dawned on her that she might have been unwilling. "Have you seen your family since then? Has Ben let you contact them?"

"Let me contact them? No. I broke into his house once and used his phone. I called my house and got to talk to my brother Ryan. But that was almost ten years ago. I don't even know if my parents are still alive, and it kills me."

Peyten felt her blood run cold as all her hopes for reunion faded away. "So that's it? I should give up on ever seeing them again?"

"No! Absolutely not! That's why I came over here. So you could understand!"

She was confused. What the hell was Anna getting at?

"I know this sounds crazy. But the island, it knows what we need. It can sense it. These past few months… it was getting to be too much to bear." She pulled out a prescription drug bottle. "Harper prescribed me antidepressants, and I was seriously contemplating just taking them all and ending it. At least I wouldn't be trapped here anymore, right? Then that plane crash happened, and Ben sent me to observe the survivors. And you know what? I discovered my little brother. He's alive, and he's on the island, and it changed everything. So you see, as bad as it is now, you can't give up hope. Ben may try and take your family away, but somehow, they'll come back to you. I know it."

Peyten wasn't sure if Anna was serious or just plain nuts. But at this point, she was so desperate for hope, she held on to her every word the woman said.

OOO

Oliver sipped at his coffee at the kitchen table, watching Ben, who was staring out the window, and Blair, who was staring at Ben. He wasn't sure if the woman was actually aware of what she was doing. She always was ogling Ben. It was especially bad during meetings like this, when Madelyn wasn't around.

The sun was setting, and her notebook lay open on the table, all the information she'd gathered from Ethan on display. He was impressed by all the man had accomplished in a week.

"And Ethan said one of them is lost in the jungle?" Ben finally said, breaking the silence.

"Yes. Jonathan Arene-Carlton. Graduate of Cambridge and American University. He was a research assistant in Algeria, and was in the Peace Corp in Nepal. I did some off island research on him, and he's got one of the cleanest records I've ever seen. He's a catch Ben."

Ben turned, leaning against the window frame. He was deep in thought, beady eyes scanning the room. "Despite what Madelyn says-" Blair visibly rolled her eyes at this comment- "I trust your judgment, Blair. We should get Jonathan while we have the opportunity. Oliver, you game for a hunt?"

"You should know by now that I'm always up for a hunt."

"Good," Ben drawled. "I want you to leave tonight. This man doesn't know the jungles like we do. Bring him back here as soon as you can."

"Will do, boss."

He stopped briefly at his home, packing food, water, and supplies into his knapsack. This man, Jonathan, was all his. After all, the only person who knew this island better than him was Jacob.

* * *

**Day 7**

Damp. The grass was damp. His shirt was damp. Even his sneakers were damp. The morning dew had gathered around him, and though his eyes were still closed, he swore he could see the penetrating beams of sunlight sinking through his eyelids.

Rolling onto his side, JP opened one eye slowly. He winced in pain. What the hell had happened? They were looking for food in the jungle, walking for hours and hours on end. They reached the grove and Tony… _Tony hit me! _He moved a hand tentatively to his head, and felt the dried up blood upon it.

_Damn, it's a miracle I'm alive. I should have had a concussion, and if I fell asleep, there's always a chance I could have died. Thank the lord I'm alive._

What else had happened? Tony hit him, Tony ran away, and Nila… Nila was here too. She ran for the food. She'd been screaming.

"Gotta get up," he muttered. "Gotta make sure she's ok." JP staggered forward several steps as he stood, but quickly regained his balance.

_How long have I been out here? And why don't I feel like death warmed over? I should at least be dehydrated…_

JP walked to the edge of the hill, and looked down at the fruit grove. He saw Nila, sprawled across the ground. "Nila!" he shouted, running down the hill, grasping roots and small trees to keep himself from sliding on the rough terrain. "Nila!"

He stopped several meters away from her, turned, and threw up. He'd become quite familiar with the smell of decay when he was assisting his uncle in Algeria, and a cholera epidemic struck the city he was in. No one was prepared for the dearth of corpses, and in the time it took for proper burials, the smell overtook the city. Here, the stench, though not strong, was wholly unexpected.

Looking at the corpse, JP could tell she'd been dead more than a day. However, there were no visible signs of decay, and the flesh not yet been raided by flies and maggots. Her face, however, was torn apart, shredded by what appeared to be claws. Nila's neck was twisted around, snapped.

Tony couldn't have done this. JP had watched Tony run the opposite direction after hitting him, and there hadn't been time for the older man to return to the grove when he'd heard Nila's terrified screams. What the hell could have done this to her?

JP looked around him, taking a few moments to reorient himself. He knew about which direction he needed to go to return to the beach. Opening his bag, he still had a bottle of water left in his bag. Careful planning and conservation would allow that to last until he reached the freshwater stream.

He had to eat before he left. Plucking a piece of fruit from the tree, he used a rock to smash it open. It was sweet, and the juices ran down his face, but he didn't care. JP was much hungrier than he realized.

Spotting another ripe piece of fruit, JP picked it and packed it in his bag for the trip. Then he started contemplating the best way to climb back up the hill. Another thought hit him. Nila's body.

There was nothing stopping him from leaving it there. No one would expect a man with a possibly concussion to carry a dead woman's body over a two day's walk back to the beach. But his stomach felt uneasy doing that- it unsettled him.

With a sigh, he lifted Nila's limp body into his arms, pausing to thank God that the beauty queen was obsessed with being twig thin, and began the long trudge back to camp.

OOO

_Peyten didn't recognize this part of the jungle. It was far off the beaten paths, with just the barest hint of a trail. Ben moved easily through the woods, knowing exactly where he wanted to be. She followed about one hundred feet behind, leaving plenty of distance. Hopefully, Ben couldn't hear the sound of her feat crunching the leaves._

_He turned onto a thin, but slightly worn, path. _Where is he going? _Peyten thought._

_Her question was answered when, as the path bended around a large clump of trees, a half-rotted cabin appeared. It was well concealed by the jungle, and even walking several feet away, a person might not know they were passing it. _

_Ben glanced around him quickly, then entered the house without knocking. Peyten knew she should leave and run back to camp as fast as she could. But something told her that this place was important. Goosebumps rose on her arms as she pressed her forehead against one of the broken windows so she could hear what transpired._

_She saw him enter a relatively empty room, dark except for the light that entered through the windows. The walls were lined with photographs, and a rocking chair with a broken arm sat in the corner moved by the breeze. Directly across from her window, a painting of a golden retriever stared back at her. "Hello Jacob," she heard Ben say._

_Jacob? Who the hell was Jacob? With the exception of the plane crash survivors, she knew every damned person who lived on this island. And Jacob was not in either of those groups. She pressed her head closer, trying to discern Jacob's response._

_CRACK! _

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! _she thought, stepping backwards away from the window as the pane of glass fell into the cabin, breaking. Ben's head shot up, his bulgy brown eyes seemed to bore into her head. Peyten froze, incapable of movement._

_He kept a hold of her eyes for seconds, minutes, what seemed to be an hour. Then he smiled, and for the first time in her life, Peyten was terrified of Benjamin Linus. He turned, walking towards the door. _

_However, before he'd even grasped the handle, Peyten had bolted for the barracks, more scared than she'd ever been in her entire life._

OOO

Peyten peaked through the peephole in her door. Outside, with arms folded and a frown on her face, Alexandra Linus stood waiting.

She sighed. Dealing with Alex was the last thing she wanted to do. Best friend or not, Alex lived in her own little dream world, ignoring her father's actions so long as they didn't affect her. And that meant she was utterly oblivious to the disappearance of Peyten's parents. Not only that, she couldn't be bothered talking about anything other than her and Karl, which meant she hadn't even thought to _ask_ Peyten if everything was all right.

_I can't ignore her forever_. Peyten opened the door.

"Where do you get off?" Alex asked bitterly, pushing past Peyten to enter the house.

Peyten snorted. "Oh yeah, come right on in. Make yourself at home." The sarcasm dripped from her voice like syrup.

"Are you jealous? Is that why you're acting like this? Are you jealous that I'm with Karl and you're not? Jesus, Pey, you're supposed to be my best friend! You _know_ I've liked him since, well… forever!"

She was flabbergasted, absolutely flabbergasted. How self-centered could Alex get? To think that all of Peyten's problems revolved around her was just too much.

"God, I mean, there's Kit and Eric. Any of those guys. It's not like you don't have options…"

"WOULD YOU JUST SHUT UP?"

Peyten shouldn't have screamed. She knew, from talking to Kit, that Ben kept his actions from his daughter. Alex didn't know that her parents were gone, that her dad was punishing Peyten. All she knew was that she was young and in love with Karl.

Any other week, Peyten would have been capable of being a supportive friend. This week, though, she needed a best friend, and Alex had been anything but.

She couldn't keep her feelings contained. "You don't know anything do you?"

"Don't know what? That you're jealous?" Alex shouted back.

"No! And if you stopped being so damned self-absorbed, you'd know that you're father sent my parents away!" Peyten heard a sob rip from her throat, tears starting to fall.

Alex looked as if she was about to should something back, but stopped herself. "What?"

"He's punishing me. He sent them away, and no one will tell me where they are or when they'll be back. Alex, I don't even know if they're alive."

"It… it has to be a routine mission. Dad wouldn't do something like that," Alex defended.

Peyten took a seat on the couch, feeling her entire body shaking. "It wasn't, Alex. They're gone."

She felt an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry I haven't been here Pey. I've been so caught up with Karl… I guess I haven't been paying attention. We'll go talk to my dad together. We'll get answers. Tomorrow afternoon, we'll go together."

"Thanks Alex," Peyten replied, still bawling. "Now tell me about you and Karl, stupid. I need something to get my mind off all this."

OOO

"Hello there gorgeous," Russ said with a grin, taking a seat next to Lucy on the beach. Finally, he had some good news, which he carried in his hand on a leaf. "I come bearing fish and chicken. How 'bout that?"

"Your flirting is atrocious, but as I just dropped ten pounds of baby, all compliments will be accepted. Feel free to keep laying them on as thick as you please," Lucy replied with a smirk as she took the leaf upon which the food rested. "How are you holding up?"

"Well, it only took Gavin and I two days, but we've finally figured out how to work the spears for fishing. And I'm positive JP and the others will be back soon with fruit. We're going to be eating well very, very soon."

Lucy's face fell briefly at the mention of JP's name, and for a moment he worried that he'd upset her. He'd hoped that by speaking confidently about JP, she would feel more confident that he would be soon and in one piece. Russ hoped it would have the same affect on him- he was really nervous for the guy. "JP'll be back soon, I know it," Lucy said, though it was clear her confidence was fading.

Without thinking, he gave her half a hug, as he would any of his female friends back home.

"You're a good guy, Don Juan."

"Don Juan? Really? I'm going to go finish serving dinner. I expect a better nickname by the time I get back." He gave Lucy one more squeeze, then returned to the fire, where Nandi was handling rations.

"Bring this up to Libby for me?" Nandi asked.

"Absolutely!" Meandering across the beach, he found her sitting next to a sleeping Donald, crying. "Libby…"

"He died. I couldn't save him," she wept, angrily pushing tears away with her fist. Russ's eyes looked over the body, and it dawned on him that his chest had stopped rising and falling. Donald had, indeed, died.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"He had a family, Russ. He had two little girls waiting for him to come home from a business trip. Now, if we ever get rescued, all they'll get is a body bag. He had a leg fracture. It's not supposed to kill you. "

He took a seat next to her, taking her hand. "Why don't you go over to the fire and sit with Nandi and the others? They need to know, and you need some human interaction. You've been with Donald every day since the crash. I'm sure when he died, he felt comforted having you here. Go rest. I'll take care of him."

Libby looked at him quizzically, eyes red. "The graveyard. I'll cover the body for the night and dig him a grave. We can have a funeral in the morning for him. You could say a little something about him?"

"I'd like that," Libby said. "He deserves that. I'll go see Nandi, we can arrange everything."

Russ nodded, and watched as Libby went to the fire, ensuring she arrived safely. Nearby, he saw the shovel that someone had constructed from a thick piece of wood and metal. He picked it up and began digging, determined to be done by sun-up.

"Would you like help?" a deep voice asked, and he jumped. Russ hadn't heard this voice since their first day on the island, when Nathan was kidnapped.

Looking up, he saw Eko fashioning a second shovel. In the fading light of the day, Russ could have sworn he looked like someone he met during his childhood, but that man had not been a priest. That man, should he dare put on a priest's collar, would have spontaneously combusted and gone straight to hell for his crimes.

No, Eko was not the man from his childhood. But they could be brothers.

"That'd be fantastic. Thank you."

Eko nodded, returning to his silence. They remained silent through the night, digging deeply into the sand so Donald could rest in peace.

OOO

It was damn inconvenient how the residents of the island village never quite seemed to abandon the streets and stay inside. All day Alice waited for her chance to see Kate to discuss their escape plan, and all day her efforts were thwarted. She was frustrated beyond all reason. She hated when things didn't go her way.

When finally she arrived at the cage, Kate was sound asleep. She couldn't blame her. It was after one in the morning.

"Kate! Kate!" she whispered as loud as she dared.

The woman rolled over onto her side, rubbing her eyelids. "Alice? I've been waiting all day."

"Well I bloody well couldn't go walking down the street while everyone was outside, could I?" Alice replied with a smile. "Besides, I received an interesting proposition this afternoon."

"What do you mean?" Kate asked, moving closer to Alice so they could talk quietly.

"One of the kids, his name is Eric. He said that he wanted to help us escape. Whatever we need, whatever we want, he can get for us, as long as we bring him and his sister with us," Alice explained. "What do you think?"

"I don't trust him," Kate said, a jaded look in her eye. "These people… there's something entirely off with them. I'd rather be cautious."

Alice nodded, glad that Kate felt the same way as her. "I agree. Though I may lead him on a bit, see if I can get any information from him, especially on geography around here. It'd be nice to have some idea of where we're going."

Kate nodded, glancing around the cage. Alice felt slightly guilty for having a comfortable bed, while she was stuck outside in the elements. "Have you figured out a day yet?"

"Not quite. Two men visited Senna again today, Sam and Amir. They mentioned going to check on a man named Goodwin…"

"Goodwin?" Kate asked sharply. "There's a man named Goodwin at our camp!"

"He's not from your camp. He infiltrated the survivors. There's one at my camp too, though I haven't figured out whom yet. These people… they're bloody good. They rarely slip up."

"Believe me, I know." Kate smiled, though the wear and tear of the past eight days was obvious. Alice felt it as badly as she did.

"Anyway. They're leaving in three days, and they're taking a substantial party with them. We'll leave then- there are fewer people to risk running into."

Kate nodded in agreement, smiling, and as the two of them discussed the details of their escape, Alice felt more and more confident that it would be a success. Now, it was just a waiting game.

* * *

**Day 8  
**

Slumping against a tree, JP attempted to gently place Nila's body on the ground, but it more or less tumbled out of his arms. He'd walk all night, and the heat of the new day was oppressive. Exhaustion was beginning to take his toll.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he opened his knapsack and drank desperately from the water bottle. He thought about cracking open the fruit, but decided to save it for later. If he didn't stumble upon the stream he could drink the juice from the fruit to sustain himself.

_Never thought I'd be so grateful for those survival lectures… _The hours of training prior to leaving for his Peace Corps work had never proven so useful before.

JP gave himself five minutes, just enough time to rest his arms and legs for the rest of the journey. He was certain he was close to the beach, could swear he could hear the sounds of the ocean.

After a few more minutes, he felt sufficiently recovered. JP leaned over, preparing himself to shoulder Nila's weight, when he heard a branch crack on the ground behind him. He turned quickly, and found himself staring into the eyes of a burly, tall man with a scar through his eyebrow and a goatee. His clothes were dark earth tones, and looked well worn. His face was calm, but his eyes threatened JP.

They stared at each other, for how long JP was unsure. Then the man spoke.

"I'm going to need you to come with me, Jonathan."

JP felt his gut wrench. He couldn't remember if any of the people that had been kidnapped knew his name. JP was certain he hadn't told them. How did this man know his name? Unless… unless someone in their camp had betrayed them? No one would have done that, right? Everyone had been helping each other, working together.

Except for Tony.

His mind was racing. Was that why Tony had brought them out into the jungle? Was he leading them to their death? Had one of these other people killed Nila?

So deep he was in his racing, panicked thoughts, he'd stopped watching the man's actions. The stranger lunged, knocking him off his feet. JP was pinned to the ground, the man's weight ensuring he couldn't move. He struggled against him nonetheless, trying to escape.

The man let go of him briefly, and JP couldn't see what he was doing. Then above his head, he saw the man's hand gripping a thick log. He was going to hit him.

_Oh no… not again… _

As the log came down at his head, JP wrenched his arm out of the man's grasp and grabbed it. His attacker hadn't expected it, and reared back. Taking the opportunity, JP stood, grasping the log as tight as he could. "Leave me the hell alone. She's dead, for God sakes, and I just want to bring her back to my people."

"She's irrelevant, Jonathan. Nila was not a good person. Not like you. We want you. The island wants you."

JP knew his face must have looked a combination of incredulous and confused. The man started walking towards him, the menacing look never leaving his face. He held the log higher, hoping he looked as if he could inflict damage. Waiting until the man was close enough to hit with the log.

He stopped. Just out of reach of the log, the man stopped. At first, JP thought he was trying to taunt him. But the man did nothing. He was staring at him. No, not at him- at his grandfather's necklace.

"The orchid," his attacker whispered reverently.

JP didn't care why the man was talking about flowers. Taking two steps forward, he slammed the log into the man's head, just as Tony had done to him days before. Lifting Nila into his arms, he moved as quickly as he could. He had to get out of this jungle before anyone else found him.

OOO

"Finally! I was worried you wouldn't make it back, Josh," Blair said as he walked through the door of her house.

"You know how I love these meetings," he replied softly, rolling his eyes. Honestly, he was rather annoyed he'd been called away to be here. Jason had asked for help keeping an eye on Goodwin at the midsection camp. Oliver's talk with him had not helped, and Josh had been waiting for a moment to confront him.

Then Sam had shown up, and told him he had better get back to the barracks quick. There was a lot of action at the tail section camp, apparently. Oliver was on his way to bring back another one of the survivors, and a raid was being planned. They needed Josh to lead.

Honestly, Josh was getting sick of this back and forth. Somewhere deep inside, he wished they could pack all these people on a boat, send them back to the main land, and leave him and his island in peace.

Jacob wouldn't want that though. And in his heart, he knew they needed this people. Ben needed these people.

"Come back to earth, Josh," Blair said softly. Most people wouldn't get away with saying such things to him, but she had been a friend- or as close to a friend that he would allow- since they were very young. "Grab a seat, we want to get done."

He sat between Ben and Blair at the table. They were joined by Danny Picket, Tom, Mikhail, and Richard Alpert. Amir stood by the door, keeping watch.

"Inform the others of what you got from Ethan," Ben demanded, not even stopping for a greeting. Joshua poured himself a cup of coffee from the pot Blair had prepared for them. It was clearly going to be a long meeting.

"There are five that Ethan selected as good people. Our target will be capturing them. There are still numerous maybes, but we'll focus on them later. Ideally, we will stage the capture in three days."

Finally, some new action. Three days from now, Josh would be back in the line of fire, and he was thrilled.

OOO

"I didn't know Donald very well. In fact, we only met after the plane crashed," Libby said, her voice quivering. Nandi wanted to reach out and hug the woman. She was incredibly upset she hadn't been able to save the man, it broke her heart.

"I do know, though, that he was very proud of his family. He had two daughters, Gemma and Parvati. He said his wife, Ann, liked exotic names because her's was so plain. That made him laugh."

Nandi smiled, and she saw others in the crowd do so as well. Everyone, even Tony, had come to pay their respects to the man.

"Donald really wanted, more than anything, to get home to them. He hated being called away for business, hated travelling without them. He worried he was missing out on too much of their childhood. But from what he told me, he sounds like he was the best dad he could be when he was at home. They rode bikes, and went swimming, and built snowmen. Everything a kid could want. I'm sure they'd be proud of him, for fighting so hard to get… to get home to them. And I'm sure they know he loved them, and… and that they love him just as much." Libby sniffled. Nandi felt tears behind her own eyes.

Did her kids think the same thing about her right now? Were they mourning her and Lalah?

"Rest in peace, Donald," Ana Lucia said softly. She picked up a handful of sand and tossed it into the pit where his body was wrapped in palms.

"Rest in peace," Nandi murmured, along with many of the others.

"LUCY!"

The shout came from behind them. Standing across the grave from her, Nandi saw Lucy's face light up. "That's JP," she said. "That's JP!"

Katya sprinted in the direction of the voice, and Nandi was sure Lucy would have followed if she wasn't carrying the baby. Struggling over a sand dune, looking absolutely haggard, JP appeared. He was carrying a large, limp object in his arms.

Then it dawned on her what that limp object was, and Nandi blanched. She turned to look at Tony, who was growing paler by the second.

"What did you do?" she hissed, hearing a deadly tone in her voice. "What the hell did you do?"

Tony looked at her, then back into the jungle, then at her again. He was contemplating something.

"Oh my God, Nila's dead!" Gavin's voice rose above the others.

Then Tony ran, sprinting into the woods at top speed. "Somebody! Grab him!" That was Ana Lucia. Russ and Gavin ran into the woods, Ethan following close behind them.

Nandi reached JP as he was setting Nila's body down. "What happened out there?"

"Tony attacked me once we reached the fruit grove. I don't know what happened to Nila. I think… I think Tony is a spy for those people."

"What?"

JP sighed, collapsing into the sand. "Grab him some water," Libby demanded, and Cindy ran to get a water bottle.

"When I was on my way back, one of those people tried to grab me. He said I belonged in their village. That guy… he knew my name. I don't think any of the people who were captured that first night knew my name. Someone here is feeding them information. I think… I think it's Tony."

"We couldn't grab him," Ethan said, Russ and Gavin stumbling out of the woods behind him. "He's deceptively fast."

Nandi sighed. "Now do you think we should move the camp?" she asked Ana.

"I was wrong, you were right," Ana admitted. "We bury Nila with Donald today, and then we're moving out. We'll stick to the beaches so we can see the rescue ship. But we can't stay here."

OOO

_"You followed Ben? Pey, what were you thinking!" Kit asked, looking a combination of stunned and worried._

_"I just wanted to see. The plane had just crashed, and he was just wandering off, and it got the best of me, and I followed him," she spit out, trying not to hyperventilate. From where she kneeled on the floor, she could peek out the window of Kit's house, concealing her face with the curtain. It had been twenty minutes since Ben had returned to the village, looking as calm as ever. Any moment, she expected him to walk through the door and murder her._

_Was Kit right about Ben? Was he evil? She never thought so before. So why was she cowering behind cheap, lacey curtains?_

_"You know, when Eric pulled a stunt like this, he got punished. He got sent some place, I don't know where. But he was real shaken up when he got back. Really shaken up. He kept going on something about Room 23 and a guy named Jacob."_

_"Jacob?" she asked, surprised. Though she was still scared, her curiosity had been piqued again and refused to be ignored. "When Ben went to that cabin in the woods, he was talking to someone named Jacob. I couldn't see him though."_

_"That's really weird," Kit replied, eyes glancing around the room. They were both silent._

_There was a knock at the door, and Peyten screamed and Kit jumped. "I am so dead," she whispered. _

_Kit opened the door and Juliet walked in. "Forgot my keys. How are you Peyten?"_

_"Alright. I was actually on my way home. We should be having dinner soon. I'll see you later, Kit?"_

_He smiled, giving her a hug. "Come over if you need anything, ok," he said into his ear so Juliet couldn't hear. "And be careful."_

_She squeezed him a little tighter. "You're the best." _

_Waving to Juliet, she left the house and ran home as fast as she could. When she arrived, she pressed her ear against the door, trying to ascertain whether or not Ben had come and told her parents what she did. It was silent, so she went inside. "Mom? Dad?"_

_There was no response. _Maybe they're visiting Senna. She was really broken up over Jason being sent away.

_She grabbed a bottle of water and a copy of the book __The Stepford Wives_, _as she'd just finished watching the movie with Kit, Alex, and Karl. Her parents would be home soon, and they could eat dinner together. Ben wasn't going to punish her. _

_This day wasn't turning out half bad!_

_Five hours later, as she prepared to go to bed in an empty house, she was having her doubts about that statement. _

OOO

Peyten knocked firmly on the door, feeling Alex's nervous grip on her hand. She felt just as nervous. Despite wanting to know, more than anything, where her parents were, she didn't want to know. What if they were dead? Or hurt? What would she do then?

"It's gonna be alright, Pey. I promise," Alex said.

The door swung open, and Ben's buggy eyes fell upon her. Before this moment, she'd just thought them a peculiarity of their leader. Now, though, they seemed evil, and she hated them. She hated him, and finally, finally she understood what Kit had been saying all this time.

"Why don't you come inside Alex? Peyten and I can talk out here," Ben said, voice deathly calm.

"No Dad. She's my friend. I'm here for her."

He sighed. "Well then. What can I do for you Peyten?"

"You know what you can do for me," she seethed, teeth clenched. How could he be so damned calm?

He smiled. "Oh, is this about your parents?"

"You know it is."

"That's simple enough. They're on a mission for me in London. Entirely safe. It came up rather suddenly. They will be gone indefinitely, until that mission in complete."

Peyten knew what he was saying. They would be gone until he felt she was thoroughly punished for her actions.

"See, I told you it wasn't so bad," Alex said with a smile. She was just so damned oblivious that Peyten wanted to smack her. But she couldn't, because Ben had raised her to be oblivious. And one day he was going to destroy that perfect bliss that Alexandra had built around her, and Peyten and Karl and Kit would be stuck picking up the pieces.

All just because Ben wanted to be the king of the island.

In that moment, Peyten knew that someday she would escape this place. And when she did, she would kill Benjamin Linus.

* * *

**This was a tough chapter to write, because literally nothing is shown of the tailie camp during this time period, but I think I manage to at least mention every tailie and other at least once... which was a difficult feat! **

**Thanks for your continuing to read, and especially thanks to those of you who review: GreenTeaHoney, DiorNicole (times two!), Hope, HeroineInducedPanic, Son of Adam, Girafe13, Charlotte Lewis, linz96, Golden-Black Dragon, GuitarHeroLost, MoonlightGardenias, Northern Wold, and Elyad. You are all awesome!**

**So I'm really close to 200 reviews on this story-- let's make it this chapter! It'll make my week! Next time: Back to the midsection cast, where someone will be having an asthma attack, someone will be kissing Sawyer, and other exciting events shall occur! All the best!  
**


	15. Previously On All We Need To Survive

**Disclaimer: Still ain't mine!**

**Author's Note: So I apologize to all of you, I've been so incredibly remiss in not updating this story. Part of it is unavoidable: now that I've started graduate school, my time to write has really been cut down. Besides classes, lab work is a full time job, and though I do love it incredibly amounts (some of you I've talked a bit about what I'm doing research in), it definitely cuts down on the spare time. Another part of it is my own personal decision: these chapters take a substantial amount of time to write, and I don't like to half-ass them. You gave me such rich characters to work with, that I really don't want to cheat them out of the stories and the little details they deserve. As such, it's taken a long time to get around to updating. **

**Now for the good news: the next chapter is imanent! I have a few more sections to knock off these next few days- I have some down time before my next exam!- and with any luck, it'll be up this weekend! Since, however, it's been so long, I've decided to give you a bit of a recap on what was going on the midsection prior to the hiatus.**

* * *

**Previously on **_**All We Need To Survive**_**….**

_Somewhere in the South Pacific, Oceanic Flight 815 crash landed on an island. Expecting rescue to come shortly after, the survivors in two different camps waited patiently for rescue. Unfortunately for them, the island and its inhabitants had plans of their own, and one week into their stay on the island, hope for rescue is starting to wane. _

When last we left the midsection, Sayid recruited Katherine and Boone to aid him in his quest to triangulate the French woman's radio signal. Both quickly jumped at the opportunity to help. Meanwhile, on a regular trip to refill water bottles for her cousin Claire, McKenzie tried to get closer to Charlie. Unfortunately, due to the severity of his withdrawal, he snapped at her. Reaching the caves, Charlie volunteered to help move supplies, but ended up getting in an argument with Jack. At that very moment, there was a cave in, trapping Jack and McKenzie inside the caves. Ryan was sent running to get help, while Brad, who saved Charlie from being crushed, began organizing rescue.

Ryan luckily ran into Katherine, waiting for Sayid's signal to fire the rocket, and recruited her to help. She was replaced by Jason, one of the spies from the Other's camp, who had a serious moment of doubt as to what course of action to follow. To shoot the rocket might help the survivors and prevent his people from reaching their goal, but to not shoot would reveal that he was a spy. Ryan found Boone as well, and recruited him to help. Nicki offered to take his spot at the bottle rocket, a small peace offering that helped to bridge the gap between them after their fight over the missing man in the jungle.

Back on the beach, Goodwin informed Mia of the cave in, and told her that he wouldn't always be there to make sure she was alright. Taking the first step toward reconciling with those in camp, she offered to stay with Claire and Lizzie, so that Natalie could go help at the cave in.

With most of the survivors at the caves working at digging out, Michael finally took on a leadership position, using his construction skills to make sure everything remained stable. A hole was opened up, and Charlie volunteered to climb through to Jack and McKenzie. Unfortunately after he made it through, the hole collapsed again, trapping all three inside. Jack's arm has been dislocated, and Charlie is forced to help him pop it back in so they can help McKenzie, who's sprained her ankle. A moth appears, leading Charlie and Jack out of the cave through a back route, safe to rescue, where Jay and Lalah are waiting, glad they still live on the beach.

Back on the beach, both Jason and Nicki have fired their bottle rockets after receiving the high sign from Sayid. Unfortunately, just moments after flicking the switch on the radio, he is knocked out by John Locke. Locke spots Nathan and calls him out of the bushes, asking why he wanted to stop the rescue. Nathan is afraid that, since no one believes his claim that there are others who survived the crash, when rescue comes they will be left behind. Locke reassures them that will not happen, insisting that the island is a special, special place…

* * *

**Once again, sorry this isn't a full chapter, but be on the lookout for one this weekend! Thank you all so much for your patience and continued support of this story! It is, as always, greatly appreciated! Also, thanks to reviewers will be featured in the next chapter- I haven't forgotten you! Best wishes- Jac**


	16. Left The Bloodstains On The Carpet

**Disclaimer: I do not own Lost, the movie Titanic, the book Watership Down. Also, "Wonderwall" is written by Oasis, and the chapter title comes from Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal."**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

_We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home._

_-_Aboriginal Proverb

* * *

_A book… thank God, something to occupy my time for the next couple of hours_. Letting loose a huge sigh of relief Iris Palmer, known affectionately to her friends back home by her last name only, leaned down to pick up the copy of Watership Down that lay between two rocks on the beach. It must have been chucked there when the plane crashed, and for that, she was grateful.

"Hey there, Goldilocks" she heard a voice drawl from the ocean. Internally groaning, she turned to see who it was, though she already had her suspicions. Ten points, she was right. It was Sawyer.

A very naked Sawyer.

_Damn, _she thought, reflecting both her frustration at being caught with the book and how- _ahem_- nice Sawyer's body was.

"Aren't you supposed to come up with clever nicknames, Sawyer? You're falling down on your game. Goldilocks, I'm a blonde. Not at all impressive, sir."

"Ok then Flower-Love-Child, put my book down and let a man swim in peace," Sawyer replied. But instead of diving back into the water, he kept walking towards the shore.

_Do not look down… do not look… Palmer, stop staring and think of a witty response._

"Just because my name is Iris doesn't mean my parents were hippies," she shot back, groaning internally. _Comeback fail._

Sawyer smirked. "Were they?"

"Yes," Iris conceded, sighing. "Fine. You win this time Sawyer."

"Ladies can't help but fall for the body," he replied, flexing his muscles.

"Well it sure as hell isn't your mind," she snapped, though she didn't mean it. Sawyer may be crass, rude and obnoxious, but he was clever, and Iris absolutely loved verbally sparring with him. He kept her on her toes. "I'm taking your book."

"If you do that, Moonbeam, I ain't ever gonna find out if those bunnies make it to their new home." He was struggling through the surf, trying to make his way to shore.

For a second, she thought about leaving the book behind, afraid of risking the surly southerner's wrath. Then Iris decided she didn't care and she shouted, "Boo hoo for you, dearest. I'll let you know when I'm done."

Very quickly she started power walking to the safety of home base- her tent-, victoriously thinking: _And Palmer takes the lead, one to zero._

OOO

"And maybeee," Charlie crooned, strumming on his guitar. "You're gonna be the one that saves meeee!"

Hurley stared across the fire, gaping. "Dude, that's the tenth time you've sung that in the last hour."

Mackenzie smiled gratefully at her companion. She hadn't planned on informing Charlie that if one more chorus "Wonderwall" passed his lips, she was going to club herself to death with his guitar.

The first three or four hours of songs and stories around the campfire with Hurley, Claire, and Charlie had been fantastic, especially Charlie's rather colorful stories from his time touring with Driveshaft. Despite their circumstances, they were having fun. It kept her distracted from her growing concerns that Claire's baby would decide to make an appearance before rescue arrived.

At around hour eight, however, the novelty had waned, her worries returned, and even Charlie lacked energy as he strummed the chords of his guitar.

"C'mon mate, it isn't that bad, is it? Besides, I pretty much exhausted every song I know. I'd sing _Monster Ate the Pilot_, but second verse isn't written yet," Charlie defended himself, setting the guitar down.

Charlie moved away from the fire to take a seat next to Mackenzie, pulling her injured foot onto his lap. "Y'know I still don't get why you and Claire won't move up to the caves. You'll be closer to the doctor, and the water supply…"

"Claire wants to be on the beach when rescue comes. I can't leave her," Mackenzie replied.

Being trapped in the caves should have made her terrified to return. But the natural defense it offered made her feel safer than she did now, sitting out in the open. But this was what Claire wanted, so on the beach she would stay.

Mackenzie was glad, though, that Charlie walked to the beach each morning. He spent the day buzzing around her tent, making sure she wasn't exerting herself too much. She loved the attention her childhood crush gave her, though she frequently reminded herself that it was only because they were friends.

Behind her, she saw Claire poke her head out of the tent, where she'd been napping. "Free concert over already?"

"Ran out of songs," Charlie replied glumly.

Claire came out and took a seat next to Hurley. The four stared out over the ocean, entirely silent. Ten minutes passed, then twenty, and nobody spoke or moved. Mackenzie looked at her three companions, observing their glazed over expression.

"This blows," she muttered.

"Agreed," the other three answered almost simultaneously. Looking at each other, they broke out into laughter.

"What the hell are we all supposed to do until rescue comes?" Claire asked. Mackenzie had to hand it to her cousin that she was still so optimistic. She wished she could have the same outlook.

"There might be something to do in my stuff. It's all at the caves. Or Ryan said they found a whole bunch of wreckage scattered in the woods. Maybe we could find something there?" Hurley suggested.

Mackenzie grinned. "Brilliant! Someone help me up!"

Charlie stood, signaling to Hurley to follow. "Absolutely not. You need to rest that leg. Give us an hour, we'll find something for us to do. A surprise." He looked like a kid in a candy shop, with a ridiculous grin plastered across his face.

"We expect greatness," Claire warned with a smile.

"Oh you'll get greatness," Hurley guaranteed, sharing a glance with Charlie.

"But…" Charlie said.

Claire folded her arms across her bulging belly. Mackenzie grinned. This was quickly turning into a battle of the sexes. "Isn't there always a but?"

"Once your spirits are lifted by our amazing surprise, you both have to move to the caves."

"I don't know," Claire said. Mackenzie could tell her cousin was torn. She tried to think of something up at the caves that would motivate her cousin to go there.

She leaned over. "Brad is there. You could get to know him a little better." Mackenzie may not have liked the guy, but if it got her cousin to stay in a safer place, she would use it as a bribe.

Claire turned to Charlie and Hurley. "The bet's on!"

OOO

A crack and a cough, and Kim Li Chen knew she was no longer alone.

On the streets of Seoul, tracking was difficult. The sounds of the city- honking cars, ringing cell phones, people rushing about- made it impossible to discern one human from another. Often times, it was difficult to tell if the person behind her was friend or foe, whether the person she followed was target or innocent.

The beauty of the jungle was that it was silent, with the exception of the occasional animal's howling. Very rarely did Kim hear another human being, and when she did, it was usually her target. Tracking was easy here.

"Stop it, Bone-head. You're overreacting."

Kim heard the sound of a tree branch snapping and she sighed. The fun in tracking people down was in the chase- in trying to figure out who was moving in what direction. There was a bit of mystery involved, some guess work, and a need to use your brain. And these idiots were sucking all the fun out of it.

"Shan. He has your inhalers. You need them—" A young man with brown hair came into her view.

"I do not need them! Why the hell do you always have to make such a big scene? And how do you even know he has them?" The other speaker, a tall blonde wearing heels that kept sinking into the mud, appeared. She was struggling to keep up.

Kim grabbed the small notebook out of her back pocket. On the pages, Blair had summarized the information from each crash survivor's file. Shan must be Shannon Rutherford, and the man she was arguing with Boone Carlisle. Step-siblings. Not much information had been gathered on them yet, besides the fact they had a peculiar and volatile relationship.

She followed close behind them as they made their way bickering to the beach. Thanks to their shouts and snaps, Kim didn't have to worry about losing them or making too much noise. The path was an easy one to follow, and soon enough, she saw sand and water.

With each step, Shannon's breathing became more labored. Kim jotted down "asthma" under Shannon's name on the notepad. How none of the boys took notice of this fact was beyond her comprehension. Weren't they watching?

There was a reason Ben had started sending her on these missions.

At the edge of the jungle, Kim pulled herself up into a tree, climbing to a higher branch so that she was hidden. The leaves were just thin enough to allow her a view of the scene below.

"Boone, stop it. You're going to embarrass me," the blonde girl whined, trying to hide how badly she was wheezing.

"I'd rather embarrass you than watch you keel over 'cause you can't breathe. For once in your life, Shannon, swallow your pride and admit you need a little help." The frustrated boy entered the tent. "At least Sawyer's not here. We can find your inhalers and get out of here before he gets back. "

"Wanna think that over, Metro?"

They called him Sawyer. The notebook told her that was an alias, that his real name was James. Kim wondered if any of the castaways knew that.

"You're out of your friggen' mind, man. I need to get Shannon her medicine."

"And I need to you to stay out of my stuff. Finders keepers, friend," Sawyer replied, the tone in his voice frightening. Kim heard the sound of a fist colliding with a body, and a shout of dismay from the girl.

She settled back in the tree, waiting for the area to clear out so she could escape back into the jungle. As she waited, on Sawyer's page in the notebook, Kim annotated "has problems with sharing."

OOO

_The basement was dimly lit and full of corners and crevices in which the darkest members of the crime world remained hidden from the world. Water dripped from leaking pipes that had not seen repair since the end of the Korean War, and the smell of rot and mold permeated the room. Against the backdrop of the beautiful and industrialized Seoul, this place would fill even the bravest solider with trepidation upon entering._

_But not Kim Li Chen. _

_Maintaining the stealth and composure she displayed during her work on the streets, she entered the basement unnoticed by most. Without speaking to any of her compatriots, she approached the desk at which her boss sat. Kim knew him only as Bon-hwa, a wrinkled and scarred man who looked double real age but had the strength and agility of someone much younger. _

_Kim slammed the jewelry box she carried under her hoodie onto the table. "Pay up."_

_"Patience, Kim. I must make sure the prize is here." Bon-hwa opened the box, rummaging past a diamond and ruby necklace and a bracelet of amethyst inlayed in some sort marbled material, to a dust covered velour bag at the bottom. Opening it, he dumped the contents into his hand. _

_Kim was not impressed. It was a two stones, black and white. Both were round, smooth, and shiny but otherwise unimpressive. "I risked my ass for that? Do you know the amount of security they have on that place?" she asked, incredulous, though she should have known better. The arrival of the pieces she stole, not the protection of her life, was the most important aspect of the job._

_"Do you know what this is, Kim? This is a black pearl. It's rare… incredibly rare. And we have a very wealthy client who wishes to obtain one. A wealthy client who is willing to pay high and not question the pearl's origin."_

_Kim nodded, and watched as Bon-hwa put the pearl away. He took out his massive ledger to mark another mission completed and to pay Kim her share of the prize winnings. "That was number three hundred, Kim. Impressive, considering how short a time you've been here."_

_For five years she'd been roaming the streets, part of the massive underworld of Seoul. It was the only option available for her when her father died. Anonymity was safety, considering that Chin Hwa Paik probably had a hit out on her. Two and a half years, she was on her own, relegated to pick-pocketing and small crimes to survive. _

_Then she found Bon-hwa's organization. He offered safety and a place to develop her significant talents in tracking in return for her assistance in "procuring valuable items". Three hundred crimes later, here she was._

_"I have a new mission for you, Kim. It's a big job," Bon-hwa said. "You up for a challenge?"_

_"Absolutely."_

OOO

"Lalah!" Katherine exclaimed as she walked out of the caves. "What are you doing up here?"

Swinging her pack down, she handed Katherine some of the fish that Jin had caught that morning. Behind her friend, she could see Jack buzzing around the cave, a woman she hadn't met shuffling through bags of medical supplies. "Jason came down to the beach this morning, said that things were insane up here. I figured you and Lizzie probably hadn't had a chance to get breakfast, so you'd need lunch. Besides, can't always force you to walk down to the beach for our daily catch-up! What's going on?"

"Sayid is back," Katherine said.

"Really? Did he pick up the signal?" Lalah asked, excited. When Katherine had filled her in on Sayid's plan, her spirits had lifted immensely. She would see the kids soon.

A dark look passed Katherine's face. "Someone attacked him. Had a big lump on his head this morning when he finally made it back here. Jack's fixing him up now."

Lalah took a seat, surprised and nervous. Hadn't everyone been working at the cave in yesterday? The usual suspect- Sawyer- had even leant a hand. Nikki and Jason had shot the flares. Mia and Claire were together on the beach, Locke had been hunting. Who was left?

Looking at Katherine, she saw that her face was full of the same concern and confusion. "Does Sayid remember?"

"Nothing."

"Are we keeping this on the down low?"

Katherine nodded. "Jack doesn't want a panic." She shook her head. "Thanks for the fish, by the way. Mia should be up here soon. I promised to cook for her today."

She knew her eyebrow rose at that statement. "Mia? The girl who never enters camp unless she wants something for herself?"

As she moved back toward the fire, Katherine shrugged. "I'm learning not to question people's motives. She was a big help for me yesterday, watching Claire and Lizzie while we were all up here."

"Is Jack around?"

Lalah hadn't even heard Boone leave the jungle. She turned to face the young man and gasped audibly. His face was covered in cuts and bruises. Behind him, Shannon was doubled over, coughing. "Are you two alright?"

"I need Jack."

OOO

Katherine was almost thankful for the appearance of the injured Boone and sick Shannon. Ever since Sayid arrived injured, only two thoughts had been floating through her mind: was Dmitri still alive? And had he attacked Sayid? She knew it was time to tell Jack her fears, to admit that maybe Nikki _was _right, and that Nathan was who he said he was.

Not now though. Jack was going to need help with the siblings.

Shannon was leaning on Lalah's shoulder, trying to catch her breath. Boone looked ready to head back for the beach, so she grabbed and pushed him gently towards the cave, where Iris Palmer was sitting, reading. She had just met Iris this morning, when she spotted Sayid stumbling towards the cave. "Do you guys need help?" she asked, flipping the page in her book.

"Hey! That's my book!" Boone exclaimed. "Where did you get that?"

"Took it from Sawyer this morning," Iris replied, flipping the page.

Boone looked like he was considering marching back towards the jungle. "I knew it!"

"If it's yours, you can have it back," the girl offered, marking her page in the book.

He shook his head, before heading into the cave. Katherine caught him nervously watching Shannon as she coughed again. "Is she sick?"

"Asthma. She hates admitting it, she sneaks her inhalers. That's why no one really knows she has it. Her last one ran out this morning. Hey Jack."

Jack sat Boone down before him, and Sayid jumped out of his seat on a makeshift bed to allow Shannon to sit down. "I will get out of the way. I have errands to run anyway," he said.

"Who did this?" Jack asked.

"Sawyer. I snuck into his tent this morning."

"Why on earth would you do that?" Lalah asked, incredulous. She had mentioned the story about her suitcases to Katherine once, and knew he could be very possessive.

"Shannon's inhalers ran out, and I saw him reading Watership Down. I had that book in my carry on, which is where I keep the medicine too. Somewhere in his tent is her inhalers, and he won't give them to me! She needs them!"

Jack handed Katherine the bottle of peroxide, and went to check Shannon. Pouring a bit onto a clean rag, she pressed it against Boone's face. He flinched at the sting, but his eyes remained fixated on his sister. "Is she gonna be ok? If I can't get the inhalers, will she be ok?"

Katherine smiled. "Stop worrying. Jack will get her inhalers back."

The other doctor stepped away from Shannon. "She's fine for now. Just keep her calm, and don't let her worry about her medicine. I'm gonna go talk to Sawyer."

Iris, who had been standing away from the crowd, stepped forward. "I'll go with you if you want. I've talked to Sawyer a lot; maybe I can get it out of him?"

"I'd appreciate that. We'll be back soon." Jack and Iris left, leaving Katherine in charge.

Shannon was sitting up, her breathing back to normal. She was subdued and quiet as she watched Boone get fixed up. "Sweetie, maybe you should lay back down. You don't want to aggravate it anymore," Katherine heard Lalah saying.

The blonde looked ready to protest. "Do what she says, Shannon. We don't know when we're going to get your inhalers. I know it's frightening, but the best thing you can do is lay down. Jack's going to fix everything up for us."

"Do you think someone might have inhalers on the beach? Maybe their kid's or something, that they held onto?" Lalah asked.

"Wouldn't hurt to check. Do you mind horribly?" Katherine asked, knowing her friend wouldn't refuse.

"Be back in a jif!" Lalah exclaimed.

OOO

"Daaaaad, I'm sick of fish," Chris complained, sniffing the food with a look of distaste. Acting like a miniature Chef Gordon Ramsey, he pushed the food away from him. Brad sighed, massaging his forehead in preparation for the impending migraine. How had Arianna done this ever day?

Taking a deep breath, he calmly said, "I'm sorry buddy, but this is all we got. There's no supermarket on the island."

Chris clearly didn't like this answer, as he folded his arms over his chest, pouting.

"When I wouldn't eat, my mom used to take my TV away," Nathan suggested. He was searching through bags for a clean pair of clothes that fit.

"That would be helpful if we had a TV on the island," Brad snapped back. "C'mon Chris, please eat something."

The little boy shook his head again.

Brad saw Sayid come out of the cave, his head bandaged. "Hey Sayid, have any tips for getting kids to eat?"

The Iraqi man snorted. "Yes, but my methods are illegal in most nations. Have either of you seen Locke? He was not around camp yesterday during the cave in."

Nathan looked up from the bag he was digging through, face pale. "We were out hunting together. Why? Do you think he was the one who attacked you?"

Sayid looked at Nathan suspiciously, but his face became neutral quickly. "No. I thought perhaps he might have seen someone else in the jungle."

Without another word, Sayid left.

Brad stared at the plate of food, pondering how to disguise fish as something else. Maybe Sawyer had some candy stashed away? At the rate he was going, Chris was going to starve to death. He imagined having to explain that one to his parents.

_Oh yeah mom and dad, Chris survived the plane crash, but then he refused to eat. Sorry!_ That was going to go over real big.

The bushes rustled behind him, and Charlie and Hurley stepped out. "Hey dudes!"

"Please tell me you know how to get a kid to eat?" Brad begged.

"No idea, mate," Charlie replied. "Say, have you seen anything around here that could entertain two women long enough to win a bet and get them to move to the caves?"

Nathan pointed toward an area where the tall grass was pushed down. "We found golf clubs the other day. Who are you trying to get up here?"

"Claire and Mackenzie," Hurley replied, walking to the thicket. "Dude, what if we built a golf course?"

"Nah, the girls'll never go for it," Charlie said.

"They don't have to play!" Hurley said, growing excited. "We can get others to play, and they can be the spectators. We'll bring some snacks and stuff. Make them a nice seat, let them keep score. Think about it."

Charlie's face lit up. "Let's do it!"

The enthusiasm spread to Brad, and he found himself wanting to participate in building the course. Especially if that meant Claire would be moving up to the caves. He wouldn't mind spending some extra time with the pretty Australian girl.

"My friend, you are a genius!"

"Can I help?" Chris asked shyly.

Struck with a brilliant idea, Brad glanced at Charlie to make sure it was alright with him first. Getting a nod, he said to Chris, "Of course you can, but first you have to finish your food."

Brad had never thought it was possible to inhale fish. Chris proved him wrong.

OOO

As he walked back toward the jungle, carrying pile of fish wrapped in an old t-shirt, Jason's eyes darted around the beach. He was looking for Jay.

Of the beach camp residents, only Lalah and Jay gave him cause for worry. That wasn't to say the others were dumb or not a threat. It was just that those two were the most observant, and if anyone was going to discover his ruse, it would be them.

Thankfully, he had passed Lalah walking to the caves earlier in the morning, and made a point of mentioning to her that he was going to try his hand at fishing. He'd left early enough in the day that, once he made it to the beach, he could observe the Korean man's fishing techniques and attempt mimicking him. As he left, Jay had joined the fishing party.

All was clear.

He slipped into the jungle, heading as fast as he could toward the Pearl station. How long did he have before someone would notice him missing?

The walk was easy and familiar, and in no time he arrived at the station.

"Didn't you bring Goodwin?" Kim asked, stepping out of the shadows.

"I didn't know I was supposed to bring him," Jason replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Kim sighed. "I slipped him a note about the meeting right after I ran into you last night. What's going on with him, anyway? Blair told me to find out how he's been behaving. Not sure what that means."

"Tell her that Goodwin is going rogue. He's lost sight of the mission. He needs to be removed as soon as possible, or everything will be lost."

Jason saw Kim's puzzled expression, but revealed no more than necessary. "Ok. I'll let her know. I'm supposed to collect your documentation as well. Senna really wants to start getting these files completed."

"How is she?" He knew he sounded more interested than he should be.

"She's fine, worried about you. Why did you break up again? We have a new girl living in our house, taken from the tail section. Her name is Alice."

Jason didn't dignify her question with a response. He and Senna were friends, nothing more. Opening his notebook, he ripped out a stack of pages. "Everything I have is here. I doubt Goodwin has anything to add anyway. You sticking around here long?"

"Just til this evening, then I have to report to Josh and Danny." He could tell she was itching to get back to the barracks and relax.

"Well, enjoy the rest of your first mission, kiddo. Be safe."

"You too, Jason. For Senna's sake." Sticking out her tongue she slipped back into the woods. With a roll of his eyes, he followed her example.

OOO

_The towering edifice did not intimidate Kim. Steely gray with dozens of windows that opened into look-alike luxury apartments, she spotted the penthouse she was aiming for. From the ground she could see the curtains were drawn tightly, shutting out the sunlight._

_The apartment belonged to a man called Widmore, a wealthy British businessman. Somewhere within that apartment was a book that their client, a man called Henry Gale, was willing to pay a great deal of money for. That was the target._

_When Bon-hwa told her that she was risking her ass for a book, she laughed him off. This was the biggest job of her career? He had to be bullshitting her. _

_But it was a book, and now she stood outside the apartment complex planning the robbery._

_In preparation for her mission, Bon-hwa had suggested she enter the building through the employee's entrance, and use the maintenance elevator to reach her target. Now that she saw the building, Kim had quickly dismissed that plan. She had an inkling in her gut that his plan was wrong. She trusted that feeling- it had never steered her wrong. She would take the main entrance, posing as a delivery girl. _

_From a flower boutique, Kim stole a small arrangement in a glass vase, and entered the building behind a short, plump woman coming home from work. Giving a friendly grin to the security guard, she entered the elevator. _

_"Floor?" the bellboy asked._

_"Six," the plump woman said._

_"Twenty-three."_

_He pressed the buttons with gloved hands. The elevator rose slowly, too slow for Kim's liking. At floor six, the plump woman stepped off. As the doors slid up, Kim felt her stomach growl, and she felt nervous. Something was off. _

_Nothing in her surroundings gave anything away. The bellhop was checking his cell phone, looking incredibly bored. No one was else was in the elevator. _

_Too late to turn back, she kept her eyes peeled as the elevator door opened again. "Twenty-third floor, miss. Do you know where you're going?"_

_"Yes. Thank you." Stepping out, Kim watched the elevator doors slide closed. She threw the bouquet of flowers into a trash bin, and made her way to apartment 42C. _

OOO

"Niki, what do you do back in the real world?" Natalie asked, as she attempted to brush through her frizzy hair.

"Having trouble there?" Niki asked, taking the brush and motioning for the teen to sit by her. Her older sister's hair had been a nightmare when they were little, and she'd often helped her to control it. "I played professional volleyball, but I was going to quit. My sister owns a wedding planning business."

Over Natalie's shoulder, Niki kept a close eye on the woods, waiting for Boone to return to the beach. She hadn't yet had a chance to thank him for the flower. This morning, when she tried, he'd stalked across the beach towards Sawyer's tent, Shannon close on his heels. She hadn't seen him since.

Unintentionally, she sighed.

"You and Boone still fighting?" Natalie asked.

Niki hated that her feelings were that obvious. "I think so… maybe. I did him a favor the other day, and he left me this gorgeous purple flower in my tent. At least I think he left it. But then, who else would?"

"You two should just make out or something."

"Wha… wait…. What?" she sputtered, sending herself into a coughing fit. "Jesus, Nat. How old are you?"

"Thirteen. Doesn't mean I don't know what making out is. You _did _go to middle school, right?"

Niki shook her head, laughing at her words. "You're too much for me, kiddo. Just for you, I'll jump him when he gets back."

"That'll be the most entertainment we've had in a while. I can't decide if I want him to kiss you back, or run away in terror."

"You are bad," Niki scolded. She saw the branches that concealed the path in the woods part, and Lalah stepped out. She began going from group to group on the beach, speaking with them briefly, then moving on. As she approached, Niki saw a worried look on her face. "What happened now?"

She wasn't sure why she asked. Catastrophe seemed to follow the survivors wherever they went.

"Well… to make a long story short," Lalah began, "Shannon had an asthma attack and her inhalers are missing. Sawyer may or may not have them, so Boone attacked him and got his ass kicked. They're both in the infirmary. I'm trying to find someone who might have an inhaler on them that they were carrying for a family member or someone who didn't… didn't make it."

Niki stopped listening after Lalah said that Boone had been attacked. "They're up at the caves, right?"

"Yeah," Lalah replied.

Feeling like she wasn't even in control of her feet, Niki was off and running, not hearing Natalie's comment as she ran.

"About damn time she got her act together."

Lalah smiled warmly in agreement.

OOO

Jay, arms laden with fish, waved at the Korean man, wishing he had the slightest idea what the man had just said to him. He assumed it was something along the lines of "goodbye" or "see you later." Their time together fishing had been fairly successful, and the only thing Jay had left to do in his daily camp chores was to deliver the fish to the caves. Everyone in both camps would be eating well tonight, that was sure.

As he walked across the beach, he kept his eyes peeled for Christian. They hadn't spoken in several days, and frankly, that concerned him. The jungle was dangerous. What the hell could the old man be doing out there?

Passing Sawyer's tent, he heard raised voices. "C'mon Sawyer! Why would you do this? I know you had the book, you told me so this morning. Just give us the inhalers" It was a woman, he didn't recognize the voice.

" No can do, Tinkerbelle. Unless… maybe a kiss?"

"Just give us the damn inhalers!" This shout came from Jack.

As he walked over the sand dune, he saw Sawyer smirk. "Got your panties in a twist, eh Doc?"

Jack stormed back into the woods, the woman following him. Ignoring Sawyer, Jay jogged to catch up with them, grappling with the slippery fish in his arms.

"Jack, what happened? What's the matter?"

"Shannon's sick and Sawyer has her medicine. He won't give it back," the doctor replied, power walking through the woods.

The woman turned around. "Do you need a hand with the fish? We'll get back to the caves faster. I'm Iris Palmer, by the way, but you can just call me Palmer."

Jay handed off some of the fish, and felt free to move faster. It took only a few moments to return to the caves, where things were in complete chaos.

Shannon, lying on the cave floor, was hyperventilating, completely incapable of breathing. Katherine was huddled over the girl, trying to get her to calm down, and Niki had just come careening to a halt after dashing up from the beach as well. Boone was pacing back and forth.

"What's wrong?" Jack had gone straight into professional mode, his anger pushed aside at the sight of the ill girl.

"Another attack. She's freaking out cause she has no medicine."

Wasn't quite the medical diagnosis Jay was expecting, but given the circumstances, it was understandable.

"Do something!" Boone shouted frantically, his concern sounding more than brotherly. Jay sensed he was the only person in the group who picked up that vibe. Niki rushed up to him, pulling him away from Shannon as he tried to escape her grasp. The girl was deceptively strong.

Tension grew as the minutes passed, Shannon gasping and struggling to breathe. "C'mon Shannon, calm down. You're making yourself sick."

Jay shook his head at the situation, when he felt someone touch his shoulder. Sayid had returned to the caves, from where, he did not know. "What's going on?"

He quickly explained the situation, watching as Sayid's eyes turned from understanding, too annoyed to be angered. When he finished, Jay realized how silent the caves had grown, with the exception of Shannon's labored, but calmer, breathing.

"I may have a solution to our problem," Sayid announced.

"Oh yeah?" Jack asked. "What's that?"

"Let me talk to Sawyer."

OOO

Kneeling on the ground, the knees of his jeans covered with damp dirt and moss, Ryan wanted to scream as he attempted to discern which way the boar he was 'tracking' had gone.

After Lalah and Jay's hunting incident, Locke had a tough time finding volunteers to accompany him into the jungle. Ryan had been hesitant to volunteer, but he'd run out of things to do around camp and didn't want to look lazy. With a heave and a sigh, he joined Locke on his hunt.

Now, after an all-too-brief lesson in Boar Hunting 101, Ryan had been left to his own devices. According to Locke's infinite wisdom, two boars had been walking together, then split up. He sent Ryan after one, and went after the other himself, saying, "Between us, we have to get at least one of them."

_Yeah, _Ryan thought. _Hopefully you get one, 'cause there's no chance in hell I'm going to catch a boar. _

He looked down at the little knife Locke had given him. Maybe if he had a shotgun or something… not that he'd ever fired a gun_, _of course, but it seemed like it might be a tad bit more effective.

As Ryan tried to walk and squat at the same time, he followed the boar's trail, wondering if there was any use to his attempt to hunt at all. Maybe Locke thought he would slow him down. By ditching him, he actually had a chance to capture the bore, leaving Ryan on a wild goose chase. Jesus, did Locke think he was that useless?

"Ryan," a soft voice whispered from behind trees. He jumped up, holding the hunting knife out, moaning at his own paranoia. He knew this voice.

"Sun? What's the matter?" Since the day he freed Jin from the handcuffs, she had been hesitant to speak English. Ryan attributed it to her husband's jealous nature.

"Shannon… her sickness…" She mimed heaving her chest and coughing.

"Asthma? She had an asthma attack?" He remembered her and Boone entering camp earlier.

Sun nodded. "Yes. Her medicine is missing. I think I can help her, but I'm going to need help. Jin would not approve. Would you mind…"

She trailed off. Glancing down at the boar tracks, which had been mostly destroyed by his crawling about, he nodded. If he kept up this whole tracking thing, in no time, he would be lost in the woods, and knowing his luck, probably eaten by a polar bear.

"Sure thing Sun."

"Good! She exclaimed." She pulled some leaves out of the pocket in her skirt. "Now we need to find some more of these leaves. They're eucalyptus. Take this with you, and search the jungle. Collect as many as you can. I will meet you later, alright? I must find Jin."

Sun disappeared back into the jungle, heading towards the cave, leaving Ryan gaping. First boar tracking, now eucalyptus picking. He just couldn't win, could he?

OOO

Kim honestly couldn't believe what she was seeing. From the thud of the wrench against Sawyer's head, to the tightly bound rope that Jay and Sayid used to hang the Southern man between two trees, her stomach was churning, knowing that the outcome would not be good.

The woman that had joined the group, Iris, looked nervous and doubtful. "Should we really be doing this? Isn't there another way?" she asked softly. Jason had not taken many notes on this woman, but she seemed to have a sense of right and wrong- something Kim was starting to wonder if the other three men had.

Sawyer moaned, loud and long, and everyone was silent. "What the hell, Doc?" he asked as he came around.

"We want the inhalers," Jay said, serious and grave. His arms were crossed across his chest, his eyes dark and angry. Kim thought he looked ridiculously intimidating.

"What's in it for me?" Sawyer spit back.

"No one gets hurt," Iris said desperately. "Isn't that enough for you?"

Sawyer attempted to shrug, though his mobility was limited due to the restraints. "Don't seem like it's gonna benefit me much, Moonbeam. If I go an' give you somethin' out of my stash, then everybody's gonna want some of good ole Sawyer's stuff. What does that leave me?"

"You're life!" Iris shouted. Kim wondered if the woman had developed a friendship with the persnickety Southerner. Based on her notes, most people just ignored him or hated him.

"The drugs. Now," the doctor snarled.

"No way, no how."

Jack nodded, and Sayid moved behind Sawyer. There was something in his hand that Kim couldn't identify. "Aw, now what, Mohammed?"

"Now we try things my way. The way of the Republican Guard." In one swift motion, he shoved what appeared to be a bamboo stick beneath Sawyer's fingernails. Kim felt her stomach heave, and had to move away, dropping her notebook.

When she finally felt a safe distance away, she threw up, emptying her stomach on the ground. She'd seen a lot in her life, but nothing had prepared her for that. There was no blood, nothing but the grimace of pain on Sawyer's face that was now seared in her memory. Just the idea of extreme pain that came to her own mind made her feel sick. What was wrong with these people- with all of them? Hogging supplies, then torturing to obtain them

This would never happen on Ben's watch, and suddenly she had a whole new appreciation for her leader.

Taking a few deep breathes, waiting for her stomach to settle, she crawled back to the clearing, where Sayid continued his torture. Sawyer was toughing it out, and she was surprised how long the man had lasted without breaking.

"Sawyer, please," Iris begged, looking pale and sickly. Kim felt comforted that she wasn't the only one who thought this was awful.

"Fine, fine," he half-shouted, half-screeched in his pain. "I'll tell ya. But I want something first. A kiss."

Iris moved forward and grabbed Sawyer's face, leaning in. Kim had to admire her. She probably would have slapped him across the face.

"No not you," Sawyer said gruffly, pulling away from her.

"What, you wanna kiss the Doc?" Iris spat back.

Sawyer stopped to think a moment. "Hello no, Moonbeam. I want a little Mocha."

"Who?" Jack asked, confused.

Iris's face fell, and she looked downright pissed. "That's low, Sawyer, that's real low, even for you. " She turned to Jack. "It's Niki. He wants to kiss Niki."

Flipping through her notes, she found the page on Nikole Mosley. Former pro volleyball player. On her way to join her sister's wedding business. Close to Boone.

Boone. The sick girl's brother. Sawyer's request really was low.

The three men looked at each other, silently conferring. With a drawn out sigh, Jack turned to Iris. "Let's go get Niki."

Grabbing her notebook, Kim followed, ready for the inevitable drama that would break out at the caves.

OOO

_Dusty lampshades and torn carpets were the last ting Kim Li expected when she entered the apartment. It appeared as if no one had entered this room, much less redecorated it, since the seventies. Certainly, an apartment that was owned by a man as wealthy as the famous Charles Widmore would at least be maintained, wouldn't it?_

_Maybe she had the wrong address? Or the wrong apartment? _

_No she'd memorized the tiny scrap of newspaper on which Bon-hwa had written the address in code. Kim was certain she was in the right place. _

_"Stop thinking about interior design, and get to work, Kim Li Chen," she scolded herself. Widmore was a rich bastard, probably had millions of homes. If the upkeep of one fell along the wayside, it shouldn't be a surprise. _

_She passed the bookshelf, ignoring it completely. If the book was as valuable as the mysterious Henry Gale had insinuated, they'd never hide it in the most obvious place. _

_So where wouldn't a person look for a book?_

_Kim stepped cautiously through the apartment, a hand on the switch blade knife in her pocket. It didn't hurt to be ready for an unanticipated resident. Nothing out of the ordinary in the bathroom or kitchen. _

_Entering the bedroom, she yanked the sheets off the bed, removing the mattress. The drawers of the dresser and night stand were rifled through. Nothing. Kim ran her hand along the walls, cracks in the ceiling, and she pulled up the carpets at the corners to look for hidden passages. She would fix the rooms up later. There would be plenty of time._

_Back to the living room. Kim rummaged through the desk- another lost cause. Not even a trick compartment! Where could this book be?  
_Think, Kim. What's out of the ordinary. _She took three steps back and took in the living room again. A desk. An easy chair. A potted plastic plant. The dusty lamp shade. A coat closet. Nothing stood out as extraordinary._

_Wait. Kim's eyes traveled back to the plant. Unlike everything else in the room, there was no dust on the fake leaves. Someone had put this in here recently. _

_Cat-like in her movements, Kim approached the plant cautiously. It could be booby-trapped. She ran her hands over the pot cautiously, praying a hidden explosive wouldn't be triggered. And then her hands grazed it- a button at the base of the pot. Closing her eyes, she pressed it down._

_Something hit her leg. A thin drawer, impossible to discern by touch, had been ejected when the button was pressed. Inside laid a thin, torn book. There was no title written on the front, and the bindings were falling apart, but Kim knew instinctively that this was the book Gale wanted. _

_She grabbed the book, and stuffed it in her pocket. Now all that was left to do was to reconstruct the apartment so that no one would know she was there. _

_With a quiet snap, the secret drawer was closed and Kim headed for the bedroom, where she'd made the biggest mess. Grabbing the covers of the bed she drew them up, over the pillows. She tucked and folded, her concentration focused entirely on replicating how the room had looked before._

_A floor beam cracked, and she jumped, spinning around. In the doorway was the figure of a man, holding a gun. _

_Before she could say anything, she heard a shot fired, and felt the sharp, stinging pain of the hot metal entering her shoulder. Silently, Kim fell to the floor grasping her shoulder. Above her, she could see the man looming, pointing the gun straight at her head._

_As she prepared for her final moments, she heard the door open and a woman shouting. Losing consciousness, Kim heard another gun shot. Her last thoughts, as she entered the hazy darkness…_

Well, it's been a damn good run…

OOO

Natalie peaked around the boulders into the caves, and was happy to see that Katherine was distracted taking care of the cuts on Boone's face near the fresh water. The teen had an idea of how to help Shannon. She also had a sneaky suspicion that the doctor would not like her idea of how to help.

The blonde was sleeping fitfully, turning over. Her attack had subsided, but she was still having a difficult time breathing. Natalie knew how scary it could be. She'd had an attack once in the middle of gym class back when she was in fifth grade, during a particularly intense game of kick ball. The teacher had been new that year, and had panicked, making the incident all together terrifying.

Still, having that behind her, Natalie was certain that Shannon was probably ten times more scared. At least she'd had the school nurse, who brought her an inhaler. Shannon had no options, at least, none that she knew of.

But Natty had one.

"Shannon?" she whispered softly, nudging Shannon's shoulder softly.

"Hmmwha?" Her eyes opened slowly, blinking as she adjusted to the sunlight streaming into the cave. "Natalie?"

"Yeah. I have something for you." Reaching into the pocket of her hoodie, she pulled out her hot pink inhaler and handed it to Shannon.

"Oh my God, where did you find this, Nat? It's not one of mine, but it should still work." She struggled to sit up, and Natalie helped her so she wouldn't be sent right back into another coughing fit.

Not wanting to reveal the inhaler as being her own, Natalie's mouth worked on autopilot. "On the beach. I found it there."

Shannon's eyebrow rose. "I'm a professional liar, Natalie. Don't lie to me, I can spot it a mile away. Where'd the inhaler come from?"

"It's mine. I have asthma too."

A mixture of apprehension, appreciation, and awe came over Shannon's face. "I can't use this. This is yours, Natalie. If you have an attack while we're here—"

"I haven't had one in years," the teen shot back. Shannon gave her another look. "Ok, I had one the other day, when I was exploring the caves with Jack. But you're sick, you need an inhaler, and this is the only one on the island."

For a moment, it looked as if Shannon was contemplating using the inhaler. With a shake of her head, though, she handed it back to Natalie. "Hold on to it. I'm not using your inhaler. I've had attacks before, I'll survive."

"If you're sure…"

"I'm sure. But thank you, Natalie. Really. I know I'm not going to win any island popularity contests anytime soon, and I haven't really treated you that great. I really appreciate this. A lot." Leaning over slowly, she wrapped an arm around her and squeezed softly. "Thanks."

"You'd do the same," Natalie said, though she doubted it.

"Maybe," Shannon said, coughing. "But knowing me, I probably wouldn't. I think I'm gonna sleep some more."

Natalie sat with Shannon until she fell asleep. There was a nicer person there then the Paris Hilton lookalike let on, and even if no one else recognized it, she was going to.

OOO

"I spy with my little eye something… tan," Mackenzie said, not even bothering to look around her.

"The sand?" Claire asked, just barely interested.

"Ding ding ding. Point to you. You're up."She really didn't care whether or not her cousin continued the game or not. So overcome with boredom, they'd resorted to playing children's games. Where were Hurley and Charlie?

"I spy with my little eye something… blue."

"The ocean."

"You win."

"Claire, we've been playing for the last hour and a half, and neither of us have missed a point. It's a tie game." They shared a brief look, which conveyed their frustration. "They said they'd find something for us in two hours. I don't think they're going to make it."

"If they don't find something for us to do, I'm going to kill them," Claire grumbled, placing a hand on her belly in surprise. The baby must have kicked again.

"That'll at least be entertaining."

They fell silent, taking in the peace and quiet of the beach. At least there was a bit of serenity here. Mackenzie knew that once she got back into the shuffle of ever day life, after they were rescued, she'd probably miss these long hours of doing nothing.

"Hello my favorite beach-dwelling ladies!" Charlie greeted them, causing them both to jump.

"You better have something for us to do," Mackenzie warned. "Claire is threatening to lead a rebellion. Pitchforks and all."

Charlie smiled. "So I know we promised you something within two hours. But we came up with an even better plan, so we need a tad bit longer."

"How long is a 'tad bit?'" Claire asked.

Charlie was suddenly very distracted by the clouds and the sky, eyes scanning the horizon as he evaded the question.

"If you don't answer her, I'll walk up to the caves and find out for myself," she threatened.

Charlie quickly sat down next to her, lifting her bad leg back into his lap, where it had rested earlier in the day. "Don't think so love. Doc'll have my head if I let you walk around."

"How long Charlie?"

"Two days. But _trust me; _it'll be completely worth it. I promise!"

Claire flopped back into the sand, sighing dramatically. "But what are we supposed to do until then?"

The rock star grinned, dimples receding deep into his cheeks, and scurried into Claire's tent. He returned with his guitar. "Well, it's my shift to entertain you. Ladies, I must congratulate you both. This afternoon, for one afternoon only, it is the world premiere of Driveshaft's comeback single: Monster Ate the Pilot."

OOO

"Niki? Where's Niki?"

Crouched over the freshwater, where she was refilling water bottles to pass the time, she turned at the sound of her name. Jack and Iris had nervous and annoyed looks on their faces, as they entered the clearing. Boone and Lalah emerged from the caves, looking confused.

"Did Sawyer give you the inhalers?" Boone asked. Niki felt terrible that he was stuck recuperating from the fight instead of getting his sister's inhalers. He was getting antsy, just sitting around waiting.

"No. We need Niki," Jack replied tersely.

Putting the water bottles aside, she said, "I'm over here. What's up?"

"We need you to come with us," Jack replied, not elaborating. "It'll speed this whole inhaler-obtaining process along."

Glancing at Boone sideways, she saw the questions in his eyes, as well as his nervousness. Shannon was fine right now, but another asthma attack could cause even greater damage to her lungs- something they just couldn't fix on the island. "Alright."

As she began to follow, Lalah stepped between her and Jack. "Wait a sec. You, Sayid, Jay and Iris are all over there with Sawyer, and you need Niki's help? Alright, so maybe Sawyer's being an ass, and four people aren't enough to get the inhalers. But of all people to grab, you ask _Niki? _No offense, sweetie, but wouldn't you get some of the other muscle in camp? What aren't you telling us?"

Jack frowned. "Lalah, we're just wasting time, does it matter why we need—"

"Sawyer won't give us the inhalers unless Niki kisses him," Iris blurted out. She grabbed her mouth with both hands, as if she'd let loose the site of a secret nuclear missile.

"You have _got _to be kidding me," Lalah said, her jaw dropping. "That son-of-a-bitch."

Niki couldn't believe what she was hearing. Kiss Sawyer? God that man was an infuriating asshole. Of course he would pick her. Of course. But if it would help Shannon… if it would get that look of utter helplessness off of Boone's face…

"Are we going?" she asked. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we have the medicine."

"Follow us," Jack said.

She marched behind them into the jungle, contemplating the irony of her situation, and just how much it sucked. Sawyer hated Boone, so much that he would risk the life of his sister to get a kiss from… well, she wouldn't exactly call herself the love interest in this ever evolving island melodrama, but there was something there between them… at least she thought. Or hoped.

"Niki!" she heard a gasp, as the bushes behind her opened up and Boone stepped out.

"Wha—" she started to ask, spinning around, but the words never got out. Pulling her by the wrist, she felt Boone's lips crash into her's in a brief but relatively satisfying kiss.

"I didn't want him to kiss you before I got a chance to," Boone said quickly before turning around and power-walking back to the caves. Niki was certain his face would have turned bright red, but the sunburn he'd gotten from days on the beach hid it will.

After standing in awe, taking the odd but wonderful moment in, she realized Jack and Iris hadn't stopped walking. "Hold up! I'm coming guys!" she called, running after them.

OOO

As they walked back into the clearing, Iris breathed a sigh of relief that Sayid and Jay hadn't murdered Sawyer while they were gone. It probably wasn't for lack of trying- both seemed irritable and ready to have this whole fiasco done and over with.

"Where is he?" Niki asked as she entered the clearing. She heard her gasp. "What the hell have you guys done?"

No one said anything, the three men looking fiercely at Sawyer. "Hey there Mocha. C'mon over here and give Sawyer a little sugar."

Iris watched the anger surge through the girl next to her. "God I hate you."

"Sweet cheeks, I just got tortured by a spinal surgeon, a nature photographer that's built like a tank, and a gen-u-ine Iraqi. Can't a man ask for a little somethin' for himself?"

She couldn't blame her, as she watched Niki take a deep breath and stalk up to Sawyer. She grabbed him roughly by his long blonde hair, yanking it hard as she pulled him forward. Her lips met his briefly, moving against his without passion. It was totally unlike the kiss she'd shared with Boone minutes before that Iris had caught out of the corner of her eye. Poor kids thought no one was watching.

"Bet that ain't how you kiss Metro," Sawyer drawled. "Why don't you give it another go?"

Iris flinched when Niki's hand connected with Sawyer's face, watching as his face snap to the side. Why was he making it so difficult? Didn't he want any respect in camp?

"Where are the inhalers?"

"I ain't got 'em. Found the book floatin' in the water couple days ago. Rest of the bag is somewhere sinkin' down in the ocean."

Niki staggered backwards, and Iris was certain her mouth was hanging open, catching whatever jungle bugs were flying around. "Are you shitting me Sawyer? Are you shitting me?" she heard herself squeal.

A roar of anger sounded, and before she even knew what was happening, Sayid had Sawyer on the ground, screaming murder. Jack's shirt was turning red, as blood from Sawyer's arm spurted out. "God damn, you hit an artery," the doctor muttered. "Sayid, get back to camp. Get my medical kit out. Iris I need you to put pressure on his arm so he doesn't bleed out. Jay, help me carry him."

Cringing slightly at the sight of blood, she pushed down hard as Jack asked. Slowly, they moved toward the caves as Sawyer drifted out of consciousness.

OOO

_"How long 'til she can be released, doctor?" Kim heard a soft-voiced woman ask, a hand gently stroking her hair away from her face. She had no idea where she was, and the only thing she remembered was staring down the wrong end of a gun, but she instinctively trusted the woman that was sitting with her trusted the woman that was sitting with her. _

_"I'm awake," she tried to say, but it came out more of a rasp. Kim forced her eyes to open, and took in the bright, white sanitary hospital. _

_The doctor smiled down at her, perusing her charts. "She's been stable a while now. We're going to want to keep her overnight, make sure she doesn't relapse. But she should be ready to take home in the morning, so long as she keeps her arm in a sling."_

_"That's great news, isn't it sweetie?" The look in the woman's eyes indicated she should play along._

_"Yeah... mo…" The woman nodded, and Kim knew she was following the right path. "Yeah mom. I was so scared."_

_The doctor smiled, patting her on her uninjured shoulder. "It's all gonna be alright now, Kim. Just rest and relax. The police will take care of the rest." He bowed at the woman and walked away._

_"You speak Korean well. Except for the fact that you're clearly not Asian, you could pass as my mother," Kim commented to the woman who saved her life._

_"I told the doctor I married your father after a business trip to Korea. It was really quite romantic, after we met through a merging of our companies, we ended up on a cruise together. He saved me from jumping overboard when I felt my most desolate. I fell in love with him, though I was engaged to a man my parents preferred. Then the ship sank, and we nearly died in the process."_

_Kim smiled, instantly liking and trusting the woman. "So… you essentially told him how Titanic ended?"_

_"I may have had a little help making up the whole romance thing. With obvious editing, of course." Her blue eyes crinkled as she laughed, pushing her short brown hair behind her ear._

_"Who are you?" _

_"My name is Mira Alpert, Kim Li. And I must apologize for the events of the past few days. My boss, Henry Gale, did not expect things to happen like this. He wishes to make it up to you."_

_Kim knew she should run, try and get away. This Henry Gale character and his mission had nearly been the death of her. She wondered if Bon-hwa knew- he wouldn't be happy. She was, after all, his star petty thief. _

_"What do you mean, make it up to me?" she asked, knowing that her voice was dripping with suspicion._

_"How do you feel about leaving Korea? Henry did a bit of research into your life. He knows you're running from the man who killed your father. Despite what your past may indicate, you're a good person. What we're offering you is safety from that man. A home, a quiet life. Unless, of course, you want some adventure. We can provide that too."_

_"What's the trick?" Kim asked. It sounded too good to be true._

_"We're kind of off the beaten path," Mira replied with a mysterious smile. "How do you fancy living on a tropical island?"_

OOO

The scene at the caves was frantic, and as night was falling, Kim was counting the minutes til the sun went down and she could return home to the barracks. She'd been witness to more than enough excitement and horror than she would have preferred.

When they left the clearing with the unconscious and heavily bleeding Sawyer, she'd sped ahead of the group to the caves, where Katherine and Boone were breathing mutual sighs of relief. The Korean woman, Sun, had brought some sort of herbal remedy that soothed Shannon's heavy breathing.

Leaning over the piece of park on which it was mashed, Katherine sniffed deeply. "Eucalyptus!" Turning back to Sun she said slowly, "Thank you!"

Kim laughed. In Jason's notes it was written that the woman was actually fluent in English. Apparently he was the only one who was aware. She skimmed the page looking for missing details. He still hadn't obtained the couple's last name. No worries though- that would come in time, as well as all the other information.

As the celebration over the miracle asthma cure began dying down, havoc broke out again as Jack arrived. Demands were shouted, Lalah wanting to know how Sawyer got stabbed, Katherine giving directions to Iris and Jay. Shannon was hyperventilating again, the effects of the eucalyptus effectively nullified by the frantic struggle to save Sawyer.

And in all this, no one noticed as Sayid slipped away, back towards the beach.

There was nothing more to gather here. She gathered her belongings and made her way back to the heavily wooded path home.

These people- animals, more like it- disgusted her. If she had her way, none of them would be brought into their midst. The lies, the betrayals, the sickening torture. None of that existed in her new home, as far as she was aware of. Ben kept them safe and happy. Ben offered the world to her, to finally be free of the threats that followed her in Korea and China. Kim couldn't possibly allow it to be tainted by the survivors of 815.

"Hey there, Kimi!" Danny Picket sauntered out of the jungle, followed by a stone-faced Joshua. "We were just commin' to collect you. How'd your first mission go?"

How could he be so damned cheerful? Those… those… miscreants were destroying their beautiful, peaceful island? Never before had she been so disgusted by humans, and that was after living amongst the members of the Seoul underworld.

"You wanna know how it went? Really? Here!" She slammed the journal against Danny's chest and dropped it. He caught the slim book easily. "It's all in there. Read it yourself. Tell Senna I'll be home later tonight."

And with that, she ran, as hard as she could. She needed to be alone, where she could come to terms with what she had seen, and hopefully restore some faith in humanity.

OOO

The sun was beating down hard on the beach, heating the fleece blanket that formed the roof of Mia's tent. She couldn't complain- it was even worse in the rain, when the thick fabric absorbed every drip-drop of water that fell from the sky, offering her absolutely no protection from the elements. She ought to file a complaint with her architects, Goodwin and Michael, but Goodwin's mysterious chat with her a day or so earlier had left her more than a little spooked.

Turning over onto her stomach, she wiped the sweat from her forehead. She was determined to finish the nap she'd been sorely in need of after a strenuous morning of… well, she hadn't really accomplished anything this morning, but she was on a desert island, and what else was there to do until rescue came?

A shadow passed over her tent, as she lay sprawled across the sand. No one ever came out to her side of the beach except Goodwin, and he always stopped in. Who could it be?

Curiosity overcame her, and she stuck her head outside the tent. Sayid was heading across the beach with a knapsack full of supplies.

"Where are you going?" she shouted as he moved away from her.

He doubled back to face her, looking surprised that anyone had noticed him leaving. "I am leaving camp."

"Why would you do that? There's a monster out there you know. It's not safe."

He shrugged. "It is not safe to have me around camp either."

Mia cocked her head, confused, but not frightened at his words. "What are you gonna do?"

"Map the island. Perhaps there is something of use on the shoreline."

He turned again, easily walking across the sand. "Wait, Sayid! Are you coming back?"

"Perhaps."

There was no stopping him, that much was obvious. So she called out a simple, "Good luck!" and returned to her tent. She would tell Katherine what happened later, when the doctor cooked her some fish for supper.

OOO

Two days had passed since Sayid had left them, and though the dynamics of the camp had changed, life had gone on. Jack had spent a good amount of time reassuring them all that the Iraqi man would be fine, and Mackenzie trusted him.

Just as she was trusting that Brad wouldn't drop her as they made their way towards the reveal of the surprise.

Claire ambled alongside the group, chatting merrily; the happiest Mackenzie had seen her in days. They passed the caves, which were all but empty with the exception of Locke cutting up his latest hunting prize. He gave them a little wave, and wished them a good time.

A thin trail had been cut out behind the caves; the brush removed making it an easy walk. "We're just about there," Charlie said, bouncing up and down like a little boy.

"Good thing," Claire said. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm carrying a bloody baby around here."

"You don't say," Brad muttered. Mackenzie wanted to whack him upside the head, but saw the smile upon his face and decided better of it. She really had to stop taking everything he said so seriously. If Claire liked him, he couldn't be all bad.

"We're here Hurley!" Charlie called out.

Hurley emerged from the bushes with a huge grin. "Ok dudes, close your eyes. No, dumbass, I meant the girls."

Mackenzie shut her eyes tight, excitement growing in the pit of her stomach. A few moments later, she felt herself being placed onto… a seat? A cushioned seat! She thought only Sawyer had those! It felt glorious.

"Ok open your eyes on the count of three," Charlie said. "One… two…"

"THREE!" Charlie, Hurley, and Brad all shouted together.

Eyes opening, Mackenzie took in the sight before her. Everyone was there, standing in a field. There was a picnic lunch before them, but nothing else, at least that she could see.

"What the…" she started.

"Welcome to the First Annual Scary Island Open! Today our judges for this golf tournament will be the lovely, the talented, the stunning Miss Claire Littleton and Miss Mackenzie Littleton!" Charlie said in the world's most atrocious announcer's voice. "Our golfers today include Dr. Jack Shephard, Mr. Hugo Reyes, Mr. Jay Langdon, and Mr. Michael… say Mike, what's your last name again? Dawson! Mike Dawson everybody. Bets can be placed now with our lovely judges--"

"I'll toss in two bottles of shampoo and a dozen sunscreens. Betting against the Doc, for Hugo over there," Sawyer interrupted suddenly, holding his wounded arm tight against him.

Suddenly, things were quiet and tense. Mackenzie was worried the event would be ruined and they'd go back to being bored. Then, she saw Shannon nudge Boone. "I'll take you up on that bet. If I lose, I write you a check for a grand when we get back to the states."

Niki's jaw dropped right there.

In a water-logged notebook, Claire recorded the bets one at a time, as people bartered everything from clothing to shelter repairs to money when rescue came. And when all was said and done, it was shaping up to be a pretty competitive tournament.

With a smile, Mackenzie nodded to Charlie that they were ready. She'd never been a golf fan, couldn't tell the difference between Tiger Woods and Michelle Wie, except for the fact that one was a girl and the other was a guy. He winked and stepped forward with his arms open.

"Let the games begin!"

* * *

**Thank you, thank you, thank you all for your patience and encouragement after the long wait for this chapter. It is a thrill to finally put it up, and I hope you love it. Now for some long-belated thanks for reviews, combining the last full chapter as well as the recap: Selenhekate, GuitarHeroLost, CarolynneRuth (times nine!), Son of Adam (times two!), Golden-Black Dragon (times two!), Dance in the Moonlight (times two!), linz96 (times two!), GreenTeaHoney (times two!), Hope (times two!), HeroineInducedPanic (times two!), Girafe13 (times two!), and DiorNicole (times two!). I hope I didn't miss anyone, it's 2 in the morning here, and I'm getting tired!**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I do not know when I will be able to update again, or if I will be able to before my winter break. Under my profile, I've unofficially listed this story as on hiatus, just because I can't give any good estimate as to when chapters will be out. As you can see, I've set up this chapter so as to skip the bulk of the episode Solitary. So much of it is just Sayid on his own, so I moved the golf tournament here, and will be picking up, when we return, with Raised by Another! Thank you all again for your patience and continued support! All the best! **


	17. Authors Note

Hey everybody!

So first off, I have to apologize for not updating since October. As most of you read in my authors notes, I started graduate school in the fall, and between lab work and homework, it's been quite a challenge. I also officially switched from being a Masters of Science student to a PhD candidate, which added a bunch of work.

Now that the end of the semester is approaching, I want to pick back up writing this story. However; I know its been a while since everybody has read, which brings me to a question.

I love this story and am committed to finishing it. I love the characters you have given me. However, if you have lost interest in this story, and would rather I start from scratch, I would do that.

So leave a comment and let me know, do you want me to continue AWNTS or do we start from fresh!

I appreciate your patience so much! I'm excited to keep telling these characters stories. Now that the final season is in swing, I'm seeing how I want this to develop.

Let me know what you think!

Much love and good wishes,

Jac Danvers


	18. Recognize You're Out On Your Own

**Disclaimer: Lost is not mine (though if it was, I'd insert a few certain moments in the finale tonight... like certain characters miraculously walking out of the ocean alive and well...). Characters belong to their respective authors. Anything pop-cultury is definitely not mine. Chapter title comes from the song "Nobody's Side" from Chess.**

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**Chapter 12**

"_Life, misfortunes, isolation, abandonment, poverty are battlefields which have their heroes; obscure heroes, sometimes greater than the illustrious heroes."_

-Victor Hugo

* * *

Mia Prince took in the silence that reigned over the beach with appreciation. Since they crashed, there had never been a moment of quiet. It was nice. Peaceful.

Everyone had wandered off into the jungle- apparently the fat guy and the annoying Brit were hosting a golf tournament. Because _that _was a fantastic use of their time. Goodwin had invited her to join in, but she'd scoffed at him, rolling her eyes.

But sitting here, alone, she almost wished she'd joined the larger group.

Almost.

Being alone had given her time to think. Over the last two hours, basking lazily in the lovely warmth of the sun, she found herself contemplating the words the older man had spoken to her the day of the cave in.

_"No one is defending you… No one knows you… I'm not always going to be here, Mia"_

What the hell had he meant by that? Where was he planning on going? It wasn't like he had some sort of secret boat stashed away to get off the island. Was it supposed to be a threat or something? And where the hell did he get off presuming she was dependent on him, like he was her father or something?

Mia Prince depended on no one.

"MAKE WAY FOR THE KING OF ISLAND GOLF!" she heard a loud voice announce in the distance. Tearing her eyes away from the ocean, she watched as the beach camp residents returned, led by a man looking incredibly uncomfortable wearing a necklace of palm leaves and flowers, slightly resembling a Hawaiian lei.

She watched as individual survivors returned to their belongings, rummaging through bags and packages to pull out toiletries and scraps of paper, before handing them off to others. They must have placed bets on the winner.

"It was Jay," she heard a familiar voice behind her say.

"What?" She turned to face Goodwin. Standing in the path of the sun, she had to squint to look at his shadowed form.

"Jay won."

"Whatever." She shrugged her shoulders for emphasis. Winning a golf tournament wasn't going to get her off the island, now, was it?

Goodwin sighed. "You're not making yourself any friends this way, Mia. No one—"

"You're not my father." Lord, she did not need a lecture right now.

"You're isolating—"

"Screw you." she shouted, cutting him off, not caring if she lost the ability to charm him into helping her anymore. She would find someone else. Mia did not need to deal with ominous warnings every ten seconds.

Retreating into her tent, she collapsed into the sand, never seeing the smirk that crossed over Goodwin's face.

OOO

_"I want you out of this house, Ken. Out!" Thirteen year old Mia Prince heard her mother shout in the hallway outside her bedroom, just moments before a sharp slap echoed through the foyer._

_ She barely muffled a sob, hiding her face in the pillows on her bed. Things were never going to change, were they? Every night, the same story- Ken came home drunk. Her mother would demand he leave. Ken would slap her around a bit, beat up on Mia for good measure. A few well placed threats to end the life of her only child, and her mother would reluctantly accept that Ken was here to stay._

_ That was life. She wanted to run, to escape and be free, like Little Orphan Annie on the streets of New York City. But she couldn't abandon her mother, not now. They were resilient women, wasn't that what she always said? _

_ "You're going to be a strong woman, Mia. That's how my mom raised me, and that's how I'm going to raise you."_

_ Her mother wasn't strong- at least, not strong enough to leave Ken. But Mia had seen her at work, as a midwife. That was where her strength lay, guiding women through the birth of their first or fourth child. Ken couldn't take that away from her._

_ Sometimes, Mia suspected that was the only thing her mother was holding on to. _

_ "I WILL NOT LEAVE MY HOUSE,MARY!"_

_ A fist slammed into the wall. Mia curled up tighter into a ball on her bed. She knew it was only a matter of time til Ken was done with her mother and moved on to her. _

_ "I am SICK of your shit Ken! I mean it this time! You are done hurting me, and you are most definitely NEVER laying a hand on my daughter again. Now get out of my house before I call the police!" _

_ She'd never heard her mother like this before._

_ "I'm warning you Mary…" The foreboding undertone of his voice terrified her. Just how far would Ken go? _

_ "Get. Out."_

_ It was only a few moments after her mother muttered these words, voice full of anger and determination, that she heard it. A loud THWACK, muted only by the pillowing of flesh, and then a wet splatter across the floor. _

_ Then silence._

OOO

"Dad." Chris whispered loudly through the dark. Groggy, Brad rolled over to face his son. "Dad, dad, dad—"

"What's up buddy? It's after-" he glanced down at his watch. "-three am. You gotta sleep."

Somewhere behind him he thought he heard movement in the bushes. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw nothing but Mackenzie, fast asleep, and Claire tossing and turning. He figured it was the baby- towards the end of her pregnancy Arianna never could get a decent night's sleep.  
"Dad, when the rescue boats come, and we go home, can we come back here with Gram an' Gramps an' Mom an' Uncle Shawn? Like on vacation? And can we get a dog like Walt has, and then he can come with us too? Please? It'll be fun!"

Pulling his gaze away from Claire, he rolled over to face Chris. "You want to come _back _here?"

"I like the beach! Do you have a house by the beach?"

_I don't even have a house_.

His bank accounts were decimated- from the drugs, from rehab, from years of wild spending on women and booze. He'd been living in a hotel in LA- more a motel really, shady and a far cry from the complimentary room service he received during the high points of his career. Still, it was close enough to the city to party, hook up, and keep up appearances despite the decline of his public reputation.

"John… John what's going on?" he heard Claire mutter in her sleep behind him. He wondered if that was the name of the baby's father.

"Maybe we could live near the beach, Chris. Dunno yet."

He rolled over, ready to fall back asleep. Chris sat up and leaned over, shaking his shoulder. "Okay, but then we can come back here?"

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you want."

"Alright. G'night dad." The boy was asleep within seconds.

Brad grunted a response, trying to find a comfortable position on the matting of grass and palm leaves he used to create their makeshift beds. His nerves were hypersensitive, something the doctors warned him about at the clinic, and he felt every little pebble sticking into his back.

_Maybe just a little to help me sleep…_

The piercing scream cut his thoughts short, and he was secretly grateful for the distraction from his potentially disastrous actions. That is, until he realized it was Claire screaming, sitting straight up, clawing wildly at the air in front of her, eyes still closed yet apparently seeing something.

All thoughts of the drugs flew from his mind as the caves came to life, the inhabitants woken by the shrill screams of the terrified young woman.

"Claire! Claire!" Mackenzie shouted at her cousin, trying to grab the girl's arms and prevent her from harming herself. Brad moved closer, ready to help if Mackenzie needed it. "Claire, sweetie you need to wake up!"

Brad managed to grab Claire's hand, preventing her from flailing. He nearly let her go when he felt sticky dampness on his own hands.

Blood.

Looking up, he watched as Claire's eyes shot open. The haunting terror in them all but assured Brad that he would not be sleeping again tonight.

OOO

"Hey Ryan!" Natalie said cheerfully as she entered the caves, a backpack laden with empty water bottles over her shoulders. Boredom had overtaken her down at the beach camp that morning, so she'd gone tent-to-tent collecting empty water bottles.

With the exception of a snitty "Buzz off" from Mia's tent- the older teen hadn't even bothered to open the flap and acknowledge her- everyone seemed fairly grateful that she was willing to take the mile trek into the jungle. Even Sawyer managed a smile.

Of course, all this had to be done outside the watchful eye of Jay and Lalah. She liked the two of them- they were her surrogate island parent, and would remain that way until she grew the balls to tell her father that he was, indeed, her father- but holy crap were they overprotective. The last thing they would ever do is let her walk in the jungle alone, and it drove her up the wall.

Really, she was _thisclose _to her fourteenth birthday. She could take care of herself.

Ryan returned her smile shyly. "Hey Little Fuzz," he said, adopting the nickname that Charlie had started and had quickly spread among the younger castaways. "You walk up alone?"

"Maybe," she replied with a smirk.

Ryan's smile turned into a full blown grin. "I'm gonna tell Lalah on you!"

She answered Ryan's teasing with a well placed eye roll and began unpacking the bottles from her bag. Laying the bottles on the ground, she glanced around, looking for Jack. She spotted him in the cave, with Katherine, Brad, and Mackenzie.

"What's going on?" Natalie nodded back towards the cave.

"Claire had a pretty bad nightmare last night. Woke up the entire camp. Katherine and Jack are patching her up now, Mackenzie's a nervous wreck, and I'm not sure what Brad's excuse is. Maybe you should stop and see her? I'm sure she could use a familiar face, and you know her a hell of a lot better than I do."

Natalie smiled. "Yeah, after I fill these…"

Ryan shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I'll get these and help you carry them back."

"I can—"

"I know you can carry them. But while you may not fear death by Lalah, I do not want to be target of her wrath when she finds out I let you walk back alone."

They both laughed, knowing that Lalah couldn't harm a fly. Natalie was certain the older woman was a favorite among every survivor.

Edging into the cave, she heard Jack murmur, "It must have been a hell of a dream," as he helped Claire stand up. There were bandages on her hands, and she looked exhausted.

"Who says it was a dream?" she muttered.

Like a zombie she walked out of the cave, led by Brad and Mackenzie, never even noticing Natalie was there. She frowned with worry, watching Claire's unsteady movements.

"She'll be alright, Natty," Jack murmured, moving to stand beside her. "Most likely it's just stress over the baby."

She hoped he was right.

OOO

Armed with a plateful of coconut and boar, Jay Langdon was on the hunt. And for once it wasn't for terrorists, or mobsters, or higher ranked CIA officers that preferred to hide in the jungle rather than face their son. Lalah had made herself scarce around camp today, and had just missed dinner, and he was worried about his friend.

He spotted her a distance down the beach, sitting and watching the ocean as the sun set behind the ebbing waves. She was picking up sand, letting it fall to the beach between her fingers aimlessly. Every once in a while she would touch the ring on her ring finger, twisting it around, playing with it.

At once, Jay knew why she wanted to be alone.

He considered retreating back up to the camp, not wanting to interrupt her grief, but Lalah must have sensed him there, and motioned for him to come over.

"Brought you some gourmet cooking care of Mike," Jay said with a smile. "Apparently he's quite the grill master. Secret talent or something."

Lalah laughed, accepting the plate. "He and Jin could start their own little cooking school."

Jay took a seat on the ground next to her, resting on his elbows. He glanced down at his own wedding ring- a fake, part of his undercover ruse as Elliot Fox. He'd forgotten to take it off after the last mission, and to take it off now would arouse suspicion amongst those he'd told he was married.

Sometimes, he couldn't help but wonder what life was like when you weren't keeping secrets from everyone. When you weren't living a double life, and it would be safe to have someone else waiting at home for you at the end of the day. If the kids that "Elliot Fox" had were real, and instead of traveling the world, he was back in some suburb coaching Little League T-Ball.

He shook his head, pulling himself a way from his thoughts. He was here to be an ear for Lalah, not to mope about his own existence.

"Been worried about you today, Lalah. A lot of the others too. Have you been out here long?"

She nodded. "It's a good place to think."

"About your wife?" he asked gently, not sure how far he should push.

Lalah looked briefly at the sky, as if asking someone above for advice. "About Nandi, yes. The last time I saw her… things weren't so good between us. We parted on bad terms, and I never got to apologize. My kids. They think they've lost both of us, and God I just wish there was some way I could get them a message, let them know that I'm alright and how much I love them."

Jay took her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "I'm sure they know- your wife, your kids- I'm sure they know how much you love them. But there's something else bothering you."

"Says the nature photographer," she shot back. "Are you a psychiatrist on the side? You're right there is something else bothering me. Sayid's been gone nearly a week now. With the polar bears, and the monster… I'm worried about him, Jay.

He squeezed her hand again in agreement. She'd voiced the same thoughts he'd had over the past few days. "I hear ya. But I've seen him… well I've seen him in action. And believe me, Lalah, when I say I'm sure Sayid is just fine. He'll be back among us soon. I know it."

OOO

"Battery low" the computerized male voice on Iris Palmer's IPod announced.

"Damnit," she muttered, scooting closer to the fire as she turned the page in the copy of Watership Down she'd stolen from Sawyer.

She'd considered herself fairly lucky. Sayid had taken one look at her Nano and determined the battery was too small to be of any use toward fixing the radio. So while others were trapped on the island without a single form of amusement, she at least had her music to occupy her time.

The nights were long, and without a mattress and comfy pillows, it was damned hard to sleep. So with the sounds of AC/DC and Metallica blasting in her ears, she read herself to exhaustion in the firelight.

_I'll finish this chapter, then I'll turn it off. Maybe I can get one more night—_

"HELP ME! HE'S TRYING TO TAKE MY BABY!"

The piercing scream cut straight through the heavy bass line of "Enter Sandman." Just like the night before, Claire was fighting with air. This time, though, she was fully awake. Tossing her IPod aside Iris was up and running, along with most of the others in the cave.

"Claire," Jack said calmly, "No one's attacking you. You're just dreaming."

"I saw him standing above me! He had a needle, he tried to do something to me!" Claire was frantic, even more so than last night. Iris wished she hadn't been blasting her music so loudly. Maybe if it was lower, she would have heard something…

"I'm gonna take a look around the perimeter, maybe there's something there," Michael offered, a silent Ryan joining him.

"I'll go with them," Jason added, following Michael into the jungle.

Jack nodded. "Thanks guys. See, Claire, they're going to look around. Why don't you go back to sleep?"

_How is that going to solve anything?_ Iris couldn't help but wonder. If she was attacked, there was no way in hell she'd be going back to sleep. She'd probably start patrolling the caves with one of Locke's knives in each hand.

"Stop treating her like she's an invalid," Mackenzie shouted, a protective edge in her voice. "If Claire said someone attacked her, then someone attacked her."

The argument continued behind her for some time before Hurley interrupted. "DUDES! We don't even know each other! Think about. We've been on this island for how long? And it's not like we're going anywhere."

"So what do you think we should do, Hurl?" Iris asked, having a feeling she knew what his suggestion would be. And she thought it would be a wise idea.

"A census. Find out who everyone was, where they're from, why they were in Australia."

Jack nodded. "Yeah… yeah that's a good idea man. You wanna take that on in the morning?"

"I'll help!" Iris volunteered.

Hurley took a seat next to her, enthusiastic about his plan, describing each of his ideas to her. Behind them, Iris could hear Jack, Mackenzie, and Claire murmuring long into the night.

Whatever happened, she hoped it was just a nightmare. Iris didn't know what she would do if one of her new friends turned out to be the enemy.

OOO

_Silence reigned. An eerie stillness… and silence. _

Please God, please let it be Ken, _Mia thought, crawling out of bed and edging towards the door, wiping the tears away from her eyes. She was panicking now, close to hyperventilating. Slowly, she opened the door, trying to grab sight of whoever was still outside. She couldn't see. Mia took one, two, three steps, staying close to the wall, ready to run at a moment's notice._

_ "Mary, oh my God, Mary?" she heard Ken's voice at the top of the stairs, filled with remorse. "Oh God, no, please God, take me, not her." The man was sobbing, each word filled with drunken guilt. _

_ And as she rounded the corner, there he was, kneeling next to her mother, limp on the floor, blood flowing out of her head onto the beige carpeting. A heavy, abstract iron art piece, normally kept on a table at the top of the stairs was in Ken's hand, covered in blood._

_ "What did you do to my mom?" Mia demanded, though she already knew. Her heart was in her throat. He didn't respond. _

_ "WHAT DID YOU DO KEN?" she screamed through the tears._

_ "It was an accident, we need to call 911." He stood and took four steps towards her._

_ Was it guilt, or was he faking it? Was he going to kill her now too? She wanted to trust the man, but all evidence told her she couldn't. _

_ Suddenly, her grief subsided and an anger filled her. Controlled rage, coursing through her blood- an emotion she thought entirely impossible, except in the minds of the psychotic._

_ Ken wouldn't get away with this. He'd hurt her too many times. It would not happen again. _

_ She reigned in her tears, whimpering a little, though she wanted to just sit on the floor and bawl. Her mind was clear, clearer than she imagined it would be, and the obvious plan sat before her. _

_ So many times she'd thought about it, contemplated it, considered the repercussions. Never did she think she would actually do this- especially without a shred of remorse._

_ "O… Okay. Let's go downstairs and call 911. Will they be able to save her?"_

_ Ken turned his back, stumbling towards the stairs. "I hope so, Mia. I hope to God—" _

_ Moving with all the strength she had in her, she ran into Ken's back, shoving him as hard as she could, down the long flight of stairs. As he hit the bottom, she heard a sickening thud-CRACK! He didn't move._

_ "Ken?"_

_ Silence._

Oh my God, what did I do? I killed someone. Holy shit, I just killed someone.

_Every bit of strength and conviction she felt moments before was gone, replaced with an overshadowing feeling of guilt. She ran to the telephone in her mother's room._

_ "911, what is your emergency?"_

_ "He just killed my mother," she shouted into the phone frantically, sobbing uncontrollably. "And I think I killed him."_

OOO

Katherine picked up Lizzie, walking faster through the woods than she ever had before in the hazy light of the early morning. She would have preferred to wait for one of the men to walk down, just so she wouldn't be alone. She was terrified that _he _was in the jungle. Dmitri could be stealthy, could be waiting behind any tree, and tall field of bamboo, to jump out, killer her, and take Lizzie. It was what he wanted, now, wasn't it?

It was foolish, but she grabbed Lizzie, and ran through the jungle alone. The attack last night had sent her into a panic. Sleep had escaped her the rest of the night, and she knew for a fact that she wasn't thinking straight.

Someone had attacked Claire.

Someone had attacked Claire twice.

In that moment, as she watched Jack tend to the frantic Claire, her mind flashed to one moment. Nicki and Boone carrying Nathan back from the plane. Nicki's words: "That's not the man I saw."

Boone's words: "Sorry man, I thought your name was Dmitri. I thought I found your wallet."

Oh God, why had she ignored what Niki said? Why had she contradicted her words? She knew Dmitri was after her. Based on everything she knew about her ex-boyfriend, why should it surprise her that he would figure out that she was traveling on flight 815?

He was alive. He was on the island. He was the one who attacked Claire.

The man was psychotic, Katherine knew that better than anyone, and she'd ignored his presence, made Niki look like a fool in front of everyone, in order to reassure herself that she was safe. She'd had a chance to protect them, and she ignored it.

What a fool she'd been. And for what? A few days of false comfort?

She had to fix this. Had to tell the truth. And there was only one person she knew to confide in, who maybe might be able to understand why she lied.

"Mama?" Lizzie asked sweetly. "Walk?"

"No sweetie, Mama's gonna carry you. We have to go talk to Lalah."

OOO

"Alright, let me make sure I got this right. You're Jay Langdon, 35, a nature photographer from Tulsa who was photographing Ayers Rock for a magazine. Right dude?" Hurley asked. Jay nodded in assent as he continued, "And you're Goodwin Stanhope, 42, going home to Detroit from a business trip. Right?"

"Picked a real winner of a flight, didn't I?" Goodwin responded with a smile.

Lalah watched comfortably from a seat in front of the fire as Hurley performed his interviews. Yesterday had been rough on her, thoughts focused on her own kids as she watched Chris, Natalie, Walt, and Lizzie playing on the beach. Even if she did get home to them, it would never be the same, would it? Not now that Nandi was gone…

"I'm twenty, address: Craphole Island," Shannon snapped at Hurley irritably, as she collected her suitcases to move to the caves. Lalah couldn't help but roll her eyes as she tried to suppress a grin. The girl might have an attitude, but underneath there was a snarky humor that the others would eventually appreciate. "Why are you doing this again?"

"Claire thought she was attacked last night—"

Shannon dropped her suitcase. "I am _NOT _moving to the rape caves. Kindly inform my brother of that next time you see him."

"What about you…" Hurley asked, staring intently at Mia. Lalah watched the man straining to try and remember the girl's name. Not that she was surprised. Mia all but isolated herself with the exception of her peculiar friend ship with Goodwin. And in recent days, even that seemed strained. "Mia… right?" he asked hopefully.

The blonde girl stared up from the fire in annoyance, as if realizing for the first time she was being addressed. "What?" she asked through pursed lips.

"I need your name, and what you were doing in Sydney. Island survey."

Mia pursed her lips. "Well my name is on the list. Why don't you just look there? And what I was doing is Australia is my own business."

She stood from the fire, trudging through the sand towards her isolated hut. "What list? And who has it?" Hurley shouted after her.

"Who do you think?" Mia shouted over her shoulder, a peculiar smile on her face.

Lalah just could not understand that girl. From ice cold to smiles in a minute. Like she had a split personality… or just didn't know how to act around other humans. Who had raised this girl?

"I think she means the passenger manifest," Shannon offered. "And who else would have it? Who has everything on this island?"

"Great… just what I need. A new nickname," Hurley moaned.

Lalah shook her head. "I'll come with you- I can deal with Sawyer. Since he's so fond of his movies, we'll '_make him an offer he can't refuse_.'"

Twenty minutes later, with a victorious smile on his face, Hurley was continuing his interviews. Lalah had been ready to join him, when she saw Katherine emerge from the woods and wave to her.

She headed back towards her seat at the fire, ready for a nice, relaxing conversation with her friend.

OOO

Leaning against a large palm tree, Jason couldn't help but check over his shoulder for what seemed like the four hundredth time. At this point, he didn't know who to trust, who to believe, but Iris was taking down names at the caves and Hurley was down at the beach doing the same. And though he knew he was safe if they found the passenger manifest- thank God he'd had a chance to see it and steal an identity before Sawyer took it- to put it in a metaphorical sense…

Well, the shit was going to hit the fan. And soon.

"Blair…" he whispered loudly. "Blair!"

Nothing.

He felt out of the loop. They really wouldn't have gone ahead and changed the plans without telling him?

Sure, he'd only been on the island three years. Compared to Danny Pickett, Sam and Josh, he was only in the minor leagues in terms of island life. But Ben would not have picked him for this mission, would not have chosen him to deal with Goodwin, if he wasn't trusted. They couldn't have changed the plans without informing him.

Could they?

Maybe they didn't trust him… otherwise, why wouldn't they inform him they were planning to take Claire earlier than planned?

"What the hell is going on Jason? Why did you send Kim Li to get us?"

Jason nearly jumped out of his skin. Blair was that good at moving silently through the jungle, as was Oliver. A talent learned by necessity that never ceased to amaze him.

"Did the plans change?"

Oliver looked confused. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Taking Claire. You told me that, based on Senna and Juliet's research, that Claire is at the beginning of her eighth month of pregnancy, and we'd take her in two weeks. Did you move the date up to now and not tell me?"

Oliver's face grew red with annoyance, as if Jason's questioning of the plan offended him, and he unconsciously rubbed the long, pink scar above his eyebrow. A calming hand from Blair was all it took to get him back in control. If she hadn't been there, Jason had a feeling he probably would be flat on the ground with a black eye.

"Nothing's changed, Jason. What made you even think that?"

He shrugged his shoulders, feeling like a child being chided by his parents, even though he and Blair were practically the same age. "Claire woke up last night screaming, the second night in a row, claiming she'd been attacked. The doctor thought it was a dream but—"

"And that's just what it was," Oliver interrupted. "Jason, if the plan changed, we would have told you. Believe me, when I say, Ben had more faith in you than he will ever have in Goodwin. If things had changed you would know."

"You don't think Goodwin's pulling something on the side, do you?"

Blair rolled her eyes. "Get back to the caves, Jason. You're being silly now. Goodwin may be a lot of things, but he's not stupid. No way would he screw up this mission to try and kiss Ben's ass. No way in hell."

And with that, Oliver and Blair disappeared back into the jungle, dismissing Jason without another word.

OOO

Claire was resting now, and Mackenzie was grateful for that. Brad had offered to watch over her while he played a game of checkers that was pulled from the wreckage with Chris, giving her a chance to corner Jack.

_Target sited,_ she thought as he entered the cave, and she made a beeline for the doctor.

"So what're you gonna do about the attacker?" Mackenzie demanded. "Do you have a plan yet? Especially with all the kids staying up here- Walt, Lizzie, Chris. We can't let this keep happening, not every night."

Jack's face squinted in confusion momentarily, and Mackenzie wondered how he could have forgotten Claire's terror.

She certainly hadn't. And she never would.

Jack indicated she should follow him to the back of the cave, which she complied with, though why he couldn't speak about the plan in the open confused her. Shouldn't everyone be aware of the plan?

Unless there wasn't a plan.

Did Jack really think it was all in Claire's head?

"What is it?" she asked, suspicion and annoyance dripping from her voice.

"I don't think…" Jack started, rubbing his forehead as he tried to pick the right words. _Tactful words, _Mackenzie thought, knowing what was coming next. "Claire has a lot on her mind. We're trapped on an island, her baby's coming soon, there's a lot of stress on her mind right now and--"

She couldn't listen to anymore. "So you think she's making this up? That's it's some delusion."

"Mac—"

"I have been living with my cousin since her scumbag of a boyfriend walked out on her and the baby. We were practically raised together. Claire does not have nightmares. Claire does _not _make stuff up." Her voice was rising, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Brad and Chris's game of checkers lay long forgotten as they watched the scene play out. "If Claire says someone attacked her, then someone attacked her, and if you think I'm going to stand by and let you pretend it's all a dream, and make her feel crazy, then you've got another thing coming!"

She let out a sigh, feeling better for having gotten the words out. They'd been weighing on her chest since last night.

"You think I'm making this up Jack?" she heard a soft, tired voice ask behind her.

_Oh crap… _She hadn't meant to wake Claire up.

Jack moved away from her, kneeling on the cave floor next to Claire. "I don't think you're making this up. Like I told Mackenzie, it's the stress of your pregnancy." He turned away a moment, burrowing through the bag of drugs collected from discarded baggage. "Here, I want you to take these…"

"What are they?" Mackenzie demanded. She was sick of Jack ignoring the actual problem.

"They'll help her sleep…"

She felt her jaw drop, but Claire took care of the arguing for her. "You're giving me bloody sedatives? Like that's going to fix everything. Listen to me, Jack. Someone is trying to hurt my baby, and if you don't believe me, then I don't want to be here. I'm going back to the beach. It was safer there." She turned to look at her cousin. "Kenz?"

Mackenzie nodded in agreement. "We're going back to the beach."

And there was nothing Jack or anyone else could say to change her mind.

OOO

"Crossword puzzle done," Mia muttered with a contented sigh, pleased at her last few hours' effort.

Alright, pleased was pushing it. She was bored as hell, and that was the truth of it.

Several times over the last hour, she was tempted to go outside and chat with the other survivors. There was nothing stopping her. Lalah had been sitting right next to her at the fire, as had Jay. Nikki and Boone were prancing around holding hands, and even Shannon seemed more open and less hostile the past few days.

But she wouldn't give in to it- to dependence, to trust, to everything her father had shown her could bring a person pain.

_No. You don't need them. You've never needed anyone before… why start now? _

If her father had seen her over the past few days, interacting with Katherine and Lizzie, letting them in like family… he would not have been happy.

_What to do now? Read? Food? Another crossword?_

The lack of anything to do was killing her. It wouldn't have been so bad if her dad was here, but the dumbass just _had _to buy them separate seats on the plane, leaving him back in the tail section while she was in the fuselage.

Coming to a decision, she decided to do another crossword out in the sun. _Maybe someone will stop by and talk._

_ Ha. Like they would. You've sufficiently pushed everyone away, just liked Dad taught you._

She reached back in her bag, grabbing her crossword book and her bottle of water. It was empty. "Dammit!" she muttered, regretting now that she hadn't given Natalie any of her bottles to refill. "At least it's an excuse to get off this beach."

Collecting her ration of three empty water bottles, she tossed them into her neon pink backpack and trudged out of the tent across the sand, passing by the fire, where Goodwin and Jay were chatting over the boar they were cleaning and Lalah and Katherine were deep in conversation. Lizzie was half asleep on the sand.

"Heading up to the caves, Mia?" Lalah called out to her.

"What's it to you," she replied, internally cringing at the hostility in her voice.

_Stop it Mia. Blowing people off never bothered you before. Why should it change now?_

"You shouldn't walk alone. Not with the attacks up at the cave. Take someone with you." Lalah's tone was motherly, but there was a definite finality. Mia was going nowhere until someone volunteered to go with her.

"I'll walk up with her, it's no problem," Goodwin offered. "Been meaning to fill my own water bottles anyway."

_ Oh great, another lecture, _Mia thought, ignoring Goodwin and continuing to walk towards the jungle.

"Wait a sec!" Katharine called out, carrying Lizzie. "Would you mind horribly bringing her up to the caves? I'll be down here a while longer, and I feel better knowing I won't have to walk back to the caves in the dark with her. If you don't mind staying up there for the night, I'll make up some fish for you when I get back?"

Mia couldn't help but smile- she _liked _Katherine and Lizzie. They'd been kind to her, despite everything. And at least watching the little girl would give her something to do. "No problem," she said, picking up the half-asleep little girl. Adjusting her weight, she headed once again for the jungle.

OOO

_ "Mia, dear, your father's here to collect you," the CPS woman said softly. _

_ She struggled to lift her head off the table, exhausted from the last few weeks of police interviews and television reporters trying to take her picture as she walked from the courthouse to the car that brought her to the juvenile detention center. Tears filled her eyes, though for the first time, it was not in grief or fear. It was the realization that this whole ordeal was nearly over. _

_ Mia had never met her father, had no idea what he was like, but if her mother loved him, then she could love him too. They would go together to her mother's funeral, then leave this city and never come back. No more fear, no more pain. _

_ "She's right back here, Mr. Prince," she heard the woman say, before exiting the room._

_ A tall, stocky man entered the room wearing a fashionable and well made suit and carrying a briefcase. His face was stern and wrinkled, though he wasn't old, looking to be more the result of a life full of high stress and pressure._

_ She felt a sudden surge of energy fill her, and she pushed her chair away from the table with such vigor, she knocked it over as she ran to give her father a hug. "Dad!" _

_ The words slipped out of her mouth without her even realizing it. _

_ Soon she would be home, and this would all be behind her._

_ Except why wasn't he hugging her back? _

_ Why was he pushing her away?_

_ "You've made quite the spectacle of yourself, Mia. You're all over the television, the newspapers. That type of behavior is absolutely unacceptable, you know."_

_ And he was serious._

_ He didn't smile. He didn't try and comfort her. He was cold._

_ "Dad?"_

_ "Call me Tony, Mia. Come on, gather your things. There's a lot to do this evening."_

_ She smiled, for the first time in days, as she picked up her bag. Alright, so he wasn't perfect. Maybe he wasn't openly loving like her mother. She wore her heart on her sleeve, in the best and the worst of times. But she and Tony could learn to be a family. Starting with finishing the plans for her mother's funeral. _

_ "We're leaving for Australia tonight."_

_ Mia dropped her bag in shock. "But mom's funeral…" _

_ "Our flight leaves tonight. You'll have to miss it."_

_ The tears filled her eyes, and she let out a sob. All she wanted was to say goodbye. Was it so much to ask?_

_ He placed a hand on her back, leading her out of the room. "No more tears, Mia. They serve no purpose." _

OOO

"And _then _Dad said that after we buy a house on the beach, we can buy this island too. And we'll build a big mansion, and I'll bring my mom and my Uncle Shawn and allllll my friends, and we'll play on the beach," Chris cried joyfully, skipping just ahead of Mackenzie, who was helping Claire over a pile of rocks. Brad, bringing up the rear couldn't help but smile at his son's enthusiasm.

"Cool beans," Mackenzie said with a smile. "I hope we're invited to your big beach party."

"Duh! You both are! And the baby. You guys are my friends," Chris said with a smile.

He may have no idea what he was doing as a parent, he might not even want to be a parent, but there were moments where Chris just tugged at his damn heart.

"That's super, Chris," Claire said. "Sounds like a lot of fu-aaghhhhh!"

Before she could finish her sentence, Claire was doubled over in pain, nearly pulling Mackenzie down with her. "Claire. Claire what's wrong?"

"The… the baby… I think the… the baby's coming." Claire let out another cry of pain, grabbing her stomach.

"Oh my God, what do we do?" Mackenzie asked aloud. "Brad, what do we do?"

"I don't know what we do!" he shouted back, frightened, dropping the suitcase.

"But… you have a kid!"

"A kid who's life I've never been involved in up until now!" he shouted, hating the words as they left his mouth. Another public shaming, another realization of just how crappy a father he was. "We need to get Jack and Katherine. They're the only ones who can help Claire."

"We want Katherine, she's a pediatrician, she'll probably know more. She went down to the beach this morning." Mackenzie glanced down at Claire, who was breathing deeply- a memory that Brad still held from the one Lamaze class he'd managed to be sober enough to attend with Arianna. "I'm not leaving her, I can't."

"I'll leave Chris here with you? I'll be faster that way."

Mackenzie shook her head, looking incredibly grateful. "Thank you, Brad."

And though getting on Mackenzie's good side had been a goal for the past several weeks, he didn't stick around long enough to hear her words. The baby was coming, and come hell or high water, Brad was going to find Claire a doctor.

The branches scratched at his face as he ran through the jungle, tearing at his skin. He wasn't even sure if he was on the path toward the beach anymore. He was on autopilot, filled with determination, arms swinging wildly to propel himself faster. He could barely breathe- he wasn't in the shape he was in a few years ago, and the drugs had taken a toll on his body. Still, he was focused.

Find Katherine.

"Why the rush?" he heard someone call ahead of him, making him jump.

He skidded to his stop, his Converse sneakers sliding on a wet layer of leaves. Ahead of him stood Goodwin and Mia, who was carrying Lizzie. "What's the matter, Brad?" Goodwin asked, more serious now, probably because he'd seen the urgent look on his face.

"Claire's having the baby. I need to get Katherine."

Mia's face lit up. "I can help. My mother was a midwife, she used to take me with her when she delivered baby."

Brad nodded. Sure, Mia was only a teen, but if she was telling the truth, she knew more about this situation than him and Mackenzie combined. "I'll go with her, I was there when my kids were born. At least it'll be some moral support until Katherine gets there."

"Thanks guys, I appreciate it. Keep an eye on Chris while you're at it please?"

"No problem man," Goodwin said, a smile growing across his face. "Be safe, she needs you now."

Didn't he know it.

OOO

Nikki dropped the pile of sticks she gathered for the signal fire onto the dwindling pile. Since Sayid had left, fewer and fewer people seemed to want to take up the responsibility of maintaining the giant pyre. They were slowly giving up hope for a speedy rescue, but Nikki refused.

"I got another pile, Nikki," Boone said from behind her, dropping a second pile on top of hers. Nearby, there was a fresh pile of split logs.

"Did you do that Boone?" she asked.

"While you took your run this morning," he said. She couldn't tell if the red flush on his face was sunburn, exertion, or just a blush. "I figured… well someone has to help you keep this signal fire going."

Nikki smiled brightly. Things may have been rough going for a few days, but there was definitely some sort of connection between her and Boone. She wasn't sure quite what it was, and she wasn't really sure if she was ready for it, but she was enjoying it.

He was a good guy. And that's what it came down to, wasn't it?

"So I was thinking, maybe after dinner tonight we could take a walk. There's this inlet I found off the beach a ways off I wanted to show you. You know, if you're feeling up to it and all…"

Was he nervous? It was adorable.

"I'd love to, Boone," she replied, leaning in to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Dudes! Did I get your info for the census yet?"

_Perfect timing, Hurley_, she thought in annoyance, though she couldn't be angry at the man. Hurley was a real sweetheart, and he really did look out for everybody in his own way. Plus, he consistently cracked her up, which in their situation, was pretty hard to do.

"Yeah Hurl, you got us earlier. Boon Carlyle and Nikole Mosley." In the distance she saw Natalie wandering back down to the fire. "Did you get Natalie yet? Hey Nattie! C'mere! Hurley needs your name for the survey."

Nikki watched as Natalie's face blanched momentarily before she signaled for Hurley to join her. They talked briefly, Natalie pointed to a name on the passenger manifest, before adding something else to the conversation. As quickly as it began, the conversation was over, and Hurley returned to them looking slightly awe-struck.

"What do you think that was all about?" Boone whispered in her ear.

She shrugged. "No idea."

"What's going on?" Jason asked, taking a seat by the fire, and Nikki inadvertently sighed. She was hoping when Hurley was done, she and Boone would have some alone time again.

"Just finishing up the census with Hurley."

Jason nodded, leaning back into the sand by the fire.

"Ok dudes, who else was with Jay this morning when I was talking to him? I know I'm missing someone here."

"We weren't here," Nikki offered.

"It was Goodwin. Goodwin Stanhope." Jason said softly.

Hurley took a seat on the ground, sending up a small puff of sand. "Thanks dude." He flipped through the pages of the manifest to the S last names and glanced over the list. Shaking his head, he turned back a page, then leafed through the list again, then a third, and a fourth time. Then he faced the group with a look of sheer panic on his face.

"Hurley, what's wrong?" Nikki asked, striving to keep her voice calm.

"Goodwin's not on here," he whispered. "He wasn't on the plane."

OOO

The day just kept getting better and better, now, didn't it?

Goodwin honestly couldn't believe his luck.

The initial plan had just been to take Lizzie and eliminate Mia, making it seem as if the teen had kidnapped the little girl. Katherine had, through some stroke of incredible luck, played right into the palm of his hand when she asked Mia to bring her daughter back up to the caves.

He'd been ready for signal to Madeline to come and take the child, when they encountered Brad. Brad, who informed them that both Chris and Claire were sitting ducks out in the middle of the woods. Sure, Claire might be in labor, but if they could take her and the baby for study, take the children…

Who would be the hero of the island now? Certainly not Jason. Ethan neither.

Oh no, good old Goodwin was going to save the day.

"Brad, Katherine is that you?"

Now he just had to get Mackenzie out of the way, and they'd all be his.

"No, it's Mia and Goodwin," Mia said, stepping out of the pushes. "We ran into Brad on the way to the beach. How is she doing?"

"Your mom was the midwife, right? From the day of the crash."

Mia nodded. "How far apart between contractions?" Goodwin was surprised, the teen actually seemed to know what she was doing. He'd presumed it was just a lie, another cry for attention.

"Oh my GOD it hurts," Claire shouted from the ground. She was cringing in pain.

"One of you needs to get up to the caves and get Jack and some sort of pain killer that we can give her."

Goodwin shook his head, making up the lies as he went along. It was imperative he get Mackenzie out of the way. "Bum knee from college football. No way I'd make it up there fast enough in one piece."

He almost felt bad for Mackenzie as she looked between her cousin and the path to the caves. "I don't really want to leave her…"

"I'll be fine. Now GET ME DRUGS!" Claire shouted, a wild look in her eyes. Mackenzie needed no further prodding, and was off at top speed toward the caves.

Victory.

Goodwin took a few steps back watching the scene play out before him. Mia was calm, collected, the perfect little doctor mimicking the actions her mother must have used when she was still alive. Claire was jabbering away, something about a psychic, a fortune, and knowing the plane would crash. Next to them, Christopher was jabbering away to Mia and Lizzie about a beach house his dad was going to buy him- now that was laughable, based on the information that had been collected by the ever efficient Jason.

Then suddenly it grew very quiet

Claire struggled a bit, but managed to sit up on the ground from where she'd been lying, ready to give birth. "I think it was a false labor," Mia said quietly. "You should head back to the caves, though. Have Jack check you out. Goodwin, can you help me stand Claire up?"

Putting two fingers between his teeth, he whistled the familiar bird call that he'd been taught as a child. Silently, Madeline appeared out of the jungle, ever ready and prepared to help Goodwin fulfill his mission.

She strove so hard for Ben's approval, she would do anything anyone told her as long as you added the sentence, "Ben says so," to the end of it.

"Goodwin?" Mia asked, turning around. "Goodwin what's going on?"

"I'm afraid we won't be going back to the caves right now, Mia," he said, taking the long string of rope that Madeline had brought in her backpack. "You'll be coming back with us to _our _home now."

OOO

"Okay, my turn. Never have I ever cried while watching _All Dogs Go To Heaven," _Ryan said with a smile, challenging Iris.

He had been the last person to be interviewed by Iris during her census, and their initial chat on their reasons for being in Australia had turned into a long conversation, followed by a game of sober Never Have I Ever with water bottles to pass the time before Locke brought them another delicious boar dinner.

Normally he wasn't comfortable talking to pretty girls… alright, girls in general. But talking to Iris was almost like talking to one of the guys. Almost.

"You son of a bitch" she asked, gulping the last of her bottled water. "That's mean. Everyone cries during _All Dogs Go To Heaven._ It was made with the distinct purpose of making small children cry."

He laughed, even though he secretly agreed. He'd totally cried the first time he saw that movie. Not that he would take a drink of water and admit it. He was, after all, trying to come across as somewhat cool.

"I guess I lose, then, right?" Iris asked, chucking her empty water bottle at his chest. He caught it easily, before it even hit him.

"Nah, I'm still bored, and I still haven't gotten all the dirt I wanted out of you. I'll fill your bottle for you."

Iris winked at him. "You know if we were playing this with real drinks, I'd think you were trying to take advantage of me. I'd be wasted by now."

He laughed, thinking back to the person he'd been in college. The eternal wingman and designated driver, who watched as his buddies hooked up with ease and confidence, who made sure everyone got home (or at least to someone's bed) by the end of the night. Now, here on the island, it was all switched around.

And maybe, he could keep it that way when he got back to the real world.

He walked over to the pool of cold, clean water, and unscrewed the cap of Iris's water bottle. Leaning over, he dipped the bottle into the water… and nearly found himself doing a nose dive, face first into the pond.

A heavy weight had landed on his back.

Turning around, he nearly dropped the man in surprise. Sayid was leaning on his back, his face cut, his body bruised. "A little help here!" he shouted over his shoulder. From the caves, Jack and Kate emerged.

"Sayid? Somebody grab my kit!" Jack shouted.

Stumbling out of Ryan's grasp, Sayid grabbed Jack by the lapels of his shirt. "We're… we are not alone here."

"Jack! Jack!"

Ryan whipped around to see the new source of voices. Hurley and Jason came running out of the jungle. A packet of papers were in Hurley's hand, and he was waving them around wildly.

"Hurley, what's wrong?" Jack asked.

"We have a major problem dude."

OOO

_Seventeen year old Mia Prince sat demurely at her desk, typing up the last of a history assignment for her private tutors on her Mac. Though traditional education hardly seemed important- really, what did it matter, as long as a girl had enough smarts to manipulate those around her to do her will- Tony insisted on it, and she'd complied with his wishes._

_ There was a knock on her bedroom door. She didn't bother to answer, as a moment later, her father walked in. _

_ "What do you want?" she asked, her voice devoid of emotion. Just like the perfect little daughter Tony wanted, and nothing like the weepy, pathetic girl he'd met at child protective services._

_ Besides, pathetic girls, like the child she once was, only got hurt time and again. Her mother was the perfect example of that principal. Eliminating emotions had been the best choice Mia had ever made. No one could hurt her- not like Ken hurt her mother._

_ She was untouchable. _

_ "We're leaving for LA tomorrow afternoon. Pack enough for two weeks," he said briefly. Their conversations were never long. _

_ "Why?" she asked harshly, never looking away from her computer._

_ "Potential business arrangement. Planning your marriage. You're almost of age, and I need to make an alliance with this company if we're going to continue to bring in money. The CEO's son is only a few years older than you," Tony explained._

_ Somewhere in the back of her mind, Mia thought that perhaps she should be annoyed by this. That she should be upset that her choices were being taken away. _

_ But that part of Mia had long since disappeared. This CEO and his son were just another set of fools to manipulate. A rich husband that Mia could use to get what she wanted, whenever she wanted it. And who would argue with that? _

_ Without further question, she saved the essay- she could always finish it when she returned- and pulled her luggage out of the closet. Quickly, she glanced at the tickets her father had left for her on the bed. Flight 815 out of Sydney airport._

_ She was almost excited for this trip._

_ Almost._

OOO

Goodwin had betrayed her.

The foreboding statements, the creepy warnings- suddenly, everything became clear in Mia's mind. Goodwin had betrayed her. Had been using her.

How could she have been so blind?

As he led them further into the woods, the mysterious blonde haired woman carried Lizzie. She remained bound, together with Claire, and Chris, by a long piece of rope that the woman had brought with her, led along the unmarked paths by Goodwin like cattle.

Farther and farther from camp he brought them, never uttering a single word. She had to get out, get away, but the ropes were bound so tightly around her wrists that she was rubbing her skin raw trying to move.

Behind her, Chris kept talking like this was all some sort of fun game, an adventure his dad had set up to help him pass the time. He was describing all the places on the island he would bring his mom and uncle to visit when they got here.

Stumbling over a rock, she grew annoyed with the little boy's distracting prattle. She turned to tell him to shut up when she caught site of it.

His ropes were not bound as tightly. She could get him loose.

It wasn't ideal- she'd much rather escape, save herself. And she felt bad, throwing this sort of weight on a seven year old boy. But as much as her brain (in her father's voice no less) screamed to save herself and abandon the others, she couldn't leave Claire and Lizzie helpless. She'd never forgive herself.

"Chris, walk faster," she whispered softly, her voice sharper than intended. The boy took a few running steps so that he was walking at the same pace as her. She pulled their rope bounds closer together so that she could reach the loose knot at his wrist. Her eyes never left Goodwin, aware of every movement the man made. "Chris listen to me, alright? Do you think you can get back to the beach?"

"I… I don't know…"

"Think kid!" she nearly shouted. Somehow she managed to maintain her whisper, in spite of her nerves, her fears, her worry. "Think hard. Can you remember the way we came?"

"Maybe? I don't know!" The boy looked like he might cry.

_Good job, Mia, you never say the right things, do you? Think. What would Chris remember?_

It hit her- his rambling story about the beach house and bringing his family to the island.

"I bet you were looking at good places to build your house with your dad when we were walking, weren't you? I bet you saw some fun places to explore with your family, right?" she said calmly. Ahead of her, Goodwin stopped to glance around, and she fell quiet and dropped the rope, not wanting to draw his attention.

"Yeah! I saw this big rock and a—"

"If you saw them again, would you remember them?"

He nodded his head. She felt the ropes loosen between her fingers, falling away from the little boy. "Chris, you run. Run as hard as you can back the way we came, alright? Look for all the cool places you found, and use them to find camp. Find your dad and Jack and Jay. Tell them to come soon, alright? Tell them it was Goodwin. You remember all that?"

"Get my dad. Tell them it was Goodwin," he said eagerly. His eyes were lit up in naïve excitement.

"Good boy. I'll distract him, then you run, alright?" Her eyes jotted sideways. Goodwin still hadn't noticed. Chris nodded. "Be fast, but be careful. And if you hear anything behind you, you run even harder, got it? Go now!"

Like he had two rockets tied to his feet, Chris ran back the way they came, accidentally stepping on a dried twig as he left the path. It was enough to attract Goodwin's attention.

The man dropped the rope, moving to go after Chris. Mia wouldn't allow it, and bracing herself for impact, she threw herself at him with a silent prayer that she wouldn't cause Claire to fall over and injure the baby. She went crashing to the ground, Goodwin's heavy weight on top of her, but Claire remained standing, looking terrified.

Pulling himself up Goodwin stared at her, a maniacal, deathly glint in his eyes. He was pissed. She'd ruined part of his plan.

"Madeline!" The blonde woman stopped and turned around. He cut the rope that bound them in half, handing Claire's half to the woman. "Take Claire and Lizzie back to camp. I'll deal with Mia."

Goodwin untied the rope from her arm, pulling her deeper into the jungle. Mia flailed, trying her best to create some sort of path for the searchers to follow. She was not going down without a fight. Not yet.

He stopped at a clearing with only one tall tree in it. Keeping one of her arms firmly in his grip, he began playing with the rope. "I'm very sorry it has to end this way, Mia. I tried to warn you," Goodwin said quietly.

"End _what _way?" Mia demanded, trying to seem brave.

But all her courage failed her when she turned and saw Goodwin holding a noose in his free hand.

* * *

**I finished it! Another chapter! Yay! I'm hoping to get out a couple this summer. I forgot how long they take to write! Lord! Still, my goal was to get this done before the finale airs tonight. Can you believe it's nearly over? I can't. My coworkers and I are having a finale party, complete with Dharma beer (oh the things you can google!). **

**So I'm just going to turn my normal thank-you's list into one big epic thank you to all of you who encouraged me to go on with this story. I'm so glad you didn't want me to restart, because I've really gotten attached to these characters. I've spent a lot of this season watching Lost trying to figure out where everyone fits in to the final story, even though I didn't really have the time to write. Your faith in me means a lot!**

**Hoping to have the next chapter out soon. Have a few other stories I've been meaning to update that might get done faster, but there will be another chapter! Best wishes and enjoy the finale! Don't forget your box of tissues- I know I have mine ready! Best- Jac**


	19. The Sharp Knife of a Short Life

**Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Lost. All characters belong to the respective authors that created them. Chapter title comes from the song "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry. I also don't own Pokémon, Sylvester Stallone, or any of the other pop culture references in this chapter! **

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**Chapter 13**

"_That which deceives us and does us harm, also undeceives us and does us good."_

_-Joseph Roux_

If there was one thing she could not understand, and never would understand, it was how he did it alone. He hadn't climbed the tree- if he had, she would have been halfway back to camp within moments. Yet the branches were so far up, it would have been impossible to toss the rope over them by hand.

She didn't understand.

Didn't understand how it all came down to this.

Didn't understand why she had to survive a plane crash only to die this way.

He hadn't carried out her death sentence immediately. No, that would have been too easy. Tethered to a tree for almost two hours, he'd left her unknowing which minute would be her last before the sentence was commuted. Two hours, kept in suspense, waiting for death.

And when he lofted her into the trees, she tried to keep her eyes open. That Goodwin's sadistic, self-serving smile looming above her as he looped the noose around her neck might be the last thing she ever saw was a terrifying thought. So she memorized the way the leaves were blowing in the gentle jungle breeze, and tried to ignore the fact that the same breeze would push her heavy corpse back and forth like the plastic skeleton her mother hung in the oak during childhood Halloweens. She memorized the last vestiges of sunlight breaking through the branches overhead as a storm moved in, and tried to ignore how it would soon be rotting her body away, like the bodies in the plane.

There was a moment where she thought about fighting, but she knew it was useless. He'd planned this down to the last detail. To the last tug of the rope tight around her throat.

She tried to keep her eyes open, but the pain was just too much.

Then it stopped, and Mia Prince was floating away.

OOO

_Two hours earlier…_

Somewhere ahead of her, Mackenzie could hear murmurs and movement, and she sent up a silent prayer of thanks that she was nearing the caves. She was certain her leg wouldn't hold up much longer if she kept running, and between the pain and her worry, it seemed a longer route than ever.

It had been easy to forget, in the heat of the moment, that her ankle had yet to recover completely from being wrenched in the cave in. In fact, the last few days, she'd been able to move around fairly easily, much to her own surprise and disappointment. She'd gotten used to having Charlie half-carrying her around, arm slung around her waist (because they were friends, and only friends, and she totally didn't have a major crush on him). Now it was throbbing, and she wasn't sure how much longer it would hold up.

_Couldn't she have found a nice couple in Australia to adopt? This never would have happened. _Claire had always had a mind of her own, though, and that psychic had really gotten under her skin. Nothing Mackenzie said would change her mind.

"Jack!" she tried shouting, hoping someone ahead would hear her. "Jack! Charlie!"

"Kenz?" she heard someone shout back. British accent- it had to be Charlie.

"Charlie! I need help!"

Ahead of her, the bushes were pushed aside. "What's the matter, love?" Charlie asked, before frowning. He looked her over once before wrapping an arm around her, taking the pressure off her foot. She saw that Sayid was back, looking worse for wear and being tended to by Jack. Hurley was waving a piece of paper around, Ryan and Iris trying to calm him down, sharing a looking of confusion. Jason just looked plain terrified. And Locke was standing a bit aside from the group, observing- at least some things never changed.

"What happened here?" she asked quietly.

Charlie shook his head. "Never mind that. Where's Claire and Brad? Are they alright?"

Mackenzie shook her head in the negative, trying to catch her breath. "The baby's coming. Brad went to get Katherine, we need Jack. Mia's with her back in the jungle, but I'm not leaving a teenager to deliver my cousin's baby."

"Let me gather my things," Jack said, having overheard everything she said. "Hurley, go find Goodwin and keep an eye on him. We'll deal with him when I get back."

Her heart stopped at these words, even though she knew nothing of their meaning. "Deal with Goodwin? What did he do?"

Jack paused, and Hurley looked like a dear in the headlights. "He wasn't on the plane. There are other people on the island," Charlie said quietly.

She thought she was going to be sick. This wasn't happening. It had to be just coincidence that he'd shown up in the jungle… it had to be… right?

"Mackenzie, love, what's wrong?"

"I left Goodwin…. I left Goodwin in the jungle. With Claire, Mia, and the kids."

The group shared a look, before Jack took control, "Charlie, Hurley, Iris, I want you here with Sayid and Mackenzie. Make sure she doesn't follow us and stays off her foot. Locke, Ryan, Jason- I want you with me. Let's go."

OOO

Brushing her dirty blonde hair behind her ears, Blair Wilson hopped up the steps to Senna's front door, energized only by the Apollo candy bar she scarfed down moments ago. She felt the dark circles developing around her eyes, a result of pulling late nights since the crash. Managing passenger history collection, providing a liaison between Ben's spies within the camps, trying to keep some semblance of order among her own people (especially the more headstrong teens)- combined, her roles in the camp hierarchy were taking their toll on her. And if they didn't get these matters settled and soon, not even chocolate would be able to keep her going.

The last time she'd been this exhausted was before Juliet came, when she was still trying to solve the island's fertility problems. Thank God for Ben looking out for her. Jules's specialty was fertility, unlike Blair's. There was little call on the island, outside research, for an oncologist, allowing her to take her role among the leaders.

Until recently, that is. But she was trying to push the devastating x-ray images out of her mind.

Lifting her hand to knock on Senna's door, she found herself pounding on air. The door had swung open, revealing Alice Lewis, one of the Oceanic survivors, standing there. A look of shock briefly flew over her face before going entirely blank.

_Sneaking around, are we? _Blair thought, glancing back to where Kate Austen, the other prisoner, was being held. Eric Rom was hanging around the cages, apparently tormenting the women, just as he tormented his father, and anyone else who irritated him.

"Rom! Get back to your house!" she called over her shoulder.

The teen looked up with a cheeky smirk. "The last name is Beckett. Get it right!" he shouted back, before jogging back to his house.

Turning back to Alice she smiled sweetly, remaining as good natured as possible. "Where ya headed Alice?"

The younger woman returned the smile, just as sweetly, though Blair had a feeling that anger was seething behind the façade. She was difficult to read, which surprised her, given what they knew about Alice's history. "I saw you heading up the stairs. Figured you were coming to see Senna and her friend."

"You weren't heading out alone?" Blair pressed, knowing Alice was lying.

She shook her head, black hair falling out of its messy ponytail. However; following her line of vision, Blair saw that Alice's eyes had moved towards Kate in the cage.

No, this would not do at all.

Breaking her train of thought, Senna peered over Alice's shoulder. "Oh hello Blair, Juliet is already inside. Tea?"

"'Fraid she'll have to take a rain-check," a deep voice said from behind her. A disgruntled looking Amir had appeared from around the side of Senna's house. "Ben needs you. We have a situation."

With a roll of her eyes, Blair waved to Senna and followed Amir. Wasn't there always a situation?

OOO

_ "Here ya go Blair, another glass of lemonade. Ha- nope not that one sweetie. You've got a couple of years before you can have Azure's grown-up lemonade, " Angela Lewis giggled as she set a glass of pink lemonade down in front the six year old._

_ "Herbalist and drink mixer, you are a woman of many talents, Azure Lemming. Phil is a lucky guy," Mira Alder added, brushing her brown hair over her shoulder. _

_ Blair loved these girly afternoons that Angela coordinated once a week. The five twenty-somethings, among the few single women living at the Dharma Initiative, had bonded quickly upon their arrival, and had adopted Blair as a member of their crew. They would braid her hair, tell her stories, talk about cute boys. It was like having five older sisters, which in a way, had given her a consistent female influence in her life. After all, her mother died just minutes after she was born, and her father had never remarried, despite Horace Goodspeed's best attempts at intervention._

_ "Phil _is_ a lucky guy," Azure replied confidently. "And, smart man, he realizes it." She briefly flashed her left hand in front of the other women, and Blair had to move quickly to dodge the near-stampede to examine the sparkling stone._

_ "When did this happen?" Audrey Kirk demanded, attempting to separate said hand from Azure's body. _

_ "This morning! He had his sister back in San Francisco pick it out and send it on the last sub…"_

_ As Azure told the story of Phil's slightly awkward proposal, Blair grinned into her glass. Her favorite part of these afternoons was the gossip sessions, even though the women used grown-up code so she couldn't tell their secrets later. Not that grown-up code was all that difficult to crack. She wasn't so naïve that she didn't know what Angela's "special" cigarettes were, but Blair let them believe she was._

_ Across the room, she heard a sniffle, and remembered the fifth woman present, whom she barely knew. Honestly, Blair couldn't even remember her name. She was a year or two younger than the others, and rarely ever spoke. She'd arrived about a year before, a survivor of a boat crash that brought several new members to their community. The girl was quiet, withdrawn, and seemed only to exist because there was nothing else better to do._

_ Blair once asked, and Audrey quietly explained that the girl's boyfriend died in the boat crash and she missed him. She wasn't quite sure if she believed that story or not, though, because Mr. LaFleur's girlfriend had been killed by Hostiles right after their crash, and he'd definitely kissed Angela at least once. _

_ As the excitement over the engagement ring died down, Audrey turned on the record player. The room was filled with the voice of Mama Cass and the rest of the Mamas and the Papas, one of Blair's favorites. "I need somebody groovy… "_

_ Suddenly, the quiet girl stood and picked up a lemonade. "We should toast," she said softly, lifting her glass up with tears in her eyes. "To Azure and Phil! May they be ridiculously happy for the rest of their lives."_

_ "And to a far out wedding," Angela added. "With the world's best looking bridesmaids!" And though her arms were much shorter than the rest of the women, Blair picked up her glass and toasted with her "sisters."_

OOO

"And that's when I hit him with the baseball bat we used for the piñata, "Katherine finished explaining to Lalah. The woman had listened attentively, and any judgment she may have passed regarding Katherine's decisions was hidden from her face. It had made it easier to tell the story, being able to pretend that it was an ordinary conversation. "We left everything behind. I stopped at home maybe fifteen minutes to pack enough to get back to my parents and we got on the bus to Sydney. Hell, I didn't even buy tickets 'til we got to the airport. I thought… there's no way he could know where we're going. But he always knows. He always finds us…"

Tossing a few sticks into the fire, she glanced up toward the jungle, not wanting to meet Lalah's eyes. She felt like their entire friendship had been built on a deception. Ten years ago, Katherine would have found this unacceptable, absolutely despicable. But since Dmitri, she'd come to find it her way of life- and in this moment, she hated herself for it.

The silence seemed to endure an eternity. With a sigh, Lalah turned to her. "I can understand why you did what you did. I don't agree with it, but I understand. "

"That's more than I expected," Katherine whispered, feeling herself tear up. The survivors had found a balance in camp, and everything was upset because of her lies.

"In all likelihood, if Dmitri's as injured as Nikki said, then by now he's dead. But all this… it's a hell of a mess. You convinced us that Nikki was lying about a different man in the plane. You said Nathan's belief that he was in the tail of the plane was a result of his concussion… Katherine, there could be other survivors out there; they could need medical aid or food, which we have here. And we haven't been looking. My wife—"

"I know, Lalah, I know. I am so very, very sorry for what I've done. At the time it seemed like my only op—"

"KAT…KAT-THE…. KAT-THE-RINE! "

Suddenly, her angst over her lies escaped her, and her stomach flipped over. Shouts from the jungle- shouts for her- where she'd just allowed Lizzie to walk. The worst case scenario flew through her mind- the kids had been attacked, Goodwin couldn't protect them, and now Dmitri had Lizzie.

"KAT-THE-RINE!"

Brad was gasping for air as he emerged from the jungle, sweat drenched and red faced. Katherine tried to respond, but she found herself unable to talk. She felt sick to her stomach.

Luckily, Lalah had her wits about her. "Brad, what's wrong? What happened?" she demanded, not wasting any time.

"Claire… Claire's having her baby… Mackenzie's with her." He stopped to gasp for air again, the redness of his face beginning to fade. "So are Mia and Goodwin and the kids. We need a doctor."

As relief flooded her, Katherine took a moment to collect herself. She'd considered a career in obstetrics over being a pediatrician, but ultimately passed it over. Still, she'd done two rotations in a delivery room, she knew they at least had some time. Not that she was planning to waste any. She just had to get her emotions in check.

"I don't want her in the jungle to give birth. There should still be time to move her down to the beach. Can someone grab Jay and Boone? They're in shape, they can carry her. Brad, can you go find them?"

He looked slightly miffed at the insinuation that he was out of shape, but frankly, Katherine didn't care about hurt feelings right now. "Lalah, were you there when your kids were born?"

"We adopted," Lalah replied. Katherine felt her face flame, and wanted to slap herself in the face for yet another stupid comment. But Lalah, as always, was two steps ahead of her and ready to allay her fears. "I didn't tell you, you couldn't have known. Don't worry, I'll come with you. Claire needs a friend to lean on now. And so do you."

OOO

Ryan was shocked when Jack had asked him to come along on the mission to save Claire and the kids. If they were taking a poll around camp as to who the survivors would pick to back them up in a fight, he was certain his name would be at the bottom of the list. Hell, Sayid came back half dead and could probably pack a better punch than him.

But that didn't mean if it came to a fight he was going to wimp out. Hell no, he was giving himself a pep talk with every step he took, channeling his inner Sayid meets Rocky Balboa for the next time he saw Goodwin.

_It's all you Ry, _the voice in his head boomed, as he overtook Jack, Locke and Jason. _You got this under control. The doc's got nothing on you. _

So intense was his pep talk, that he forgot to look where he was going and found himself sprawled across the jungle, crashing down on top of Mackenzie's luggage. Forgetting his embarrassment, though he was certain his face was beat red; he called over his shoulder to the others. "I found their stuff!"

"Not them?" Jason asked, emerging from the woods just behind Jack, adjusting his glasses.

Ryan looked around. "No, they're not here."

That couldn't be good.

"Shit," Jack muttered under his breath.

Jason held up his hands. "Wait, let's not come to conclusions." Locke nodded in agreement. "Brad, Mia, Claire, Lizzie and Chris were all here with Goodwin. Even if he wanted to try something, there were too many people. Remember when the plane crashed, Claire went into false labor? Maybe that's what happened, and Brad got her down to…"

His words trailed off as up the path, Brad was leading Katherine, Lalah, Jay, and Boone up the path. "I left them over… where's Claire?"

"We were hoping they were with you," Ryan said.

They stood there in silence, everyone in total disbelief. Ryan knew he was having trouble understanding. Mackenzie and Brad were alright, but Goodwin was missing, with three of the kids _and _Claire. He was worried, but moreover, he was trying to wrap his mind around how Goodwin managed it. Sure, Claire and the kids were easy targets, but Mia did _not_ seem the type to go down without a fight.

_The kids… he took the kids. _It finally dawned on him.

Apparently it dawned on Katherine as well. "LIZZIE!" she screamed. "LIZZIE!" Her voice was shrill and piercing, and the terror for her daughter's fate was obvious in ever wrinkle that formed on her brow. "DON'T JUST STAND THERE! WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR THEM! MY BABY IS MISSING!"

She tried to run, but was held back by Lalah. "Hold on! Don't go running off all half-assed. We need a plan, Kat. Let's think about this."

At this moment, it seemed to dawn on Brad that his son was also among the missing. "Chris! Christopher Michael Donegan!" he shouted, combining with Katherine's shrieks.

"Locke, you know how to track, you'll come with us?" Jack asked. Locke nodded in agreement.

Lalah raised an eyebrow. "Should you really go Jack? Brad said Sayid returned, doesn't he need a doctor." She spoke quickly, and Ryan realized she didn't want to waste time. He'd seen crime shows- didn't they always say after forty-eight hours people were considered dead?

Jack shook his head. "Katherine, I want you to stay behind. No- don't argue. I know you want to search for your daughter, but you're involved, and it's going to slow you down. Let us find her, you take care of Sayid."

The woman looked ready to argue, but nodded her acceptance. She had paled ridiculously, and it seemed the only reason she was still standing was thanks to Lalah's support. "Ryan, Jason, Brad, Boone- I want all of you with us. Jay and Lalah—"

"We're going to combine the two camps; have everyone gather at the caves until you get back. We're down in numbers, can't risk separating the group if there are others out there." Jay said with the authority of a military captain.

"Sounds good. Let's move."

And they were off and running again.

OOO

To say Alice Evans was feeling frustrated was putting it mildly. She'd dealt with stubborn reviewers passing on her grant proposals when she wanted to do an excavation of a potential Viking settlement site in eastern Russia. She'd watched as the archaeological societies continued to reward her rival, Charlotte Lewis, over her, year after year. But none of that compared to the frustration she felt at having another meeting with Kate prevented by the watchful eyes of the Others.

At least Eric Rom had made it out to her. Maybe he comforted her a bit. Alright, that was an optimistic thought, cause the kid was as snarky as they came. But he was willing to help with their escape, and he seemed genuine in that concern.

"If only I could get out of this sodding house," she growled, falling back onto her bed. In the next room, she heard the door slam and the blaring noise of the first Driveshaft CD start to blare. Kim was home from wherever the bug-eyed guy had sent her. He reminded her of something off America's Most Wanted, a show she'd become addicted to when she was working on an Algonquin burial site in northern New York.

_Think, Alice, think. You are not helpless. They may want you to feel that way, but you are not helpless. _

There was still a chance she could get outside. Blair had left with the Indian scientist. Senna was busy downstairs with Juliet, Kim couldn't hear anything over her music. If the path was clear to Kate, it would be worth the risk.

Really, what's the worse that these people could do to her?

Alright, they could kill her, and no one would ever know because everyone thought she was dead anyway. But at least she'd die trying.

Taking off her sneakers, she padded lightly across the hallway to Senna's bedroom, taking care not to creek the floorboards as she walked. As expected, the room was empty, with the exception of a photograph of Senna in pointe shoes and a rhinestone tiara, standing with a man with silver framed glasses. Ignoring the inanimate eyes staring at her, Alice crept up to the window to check the coast was clear.

It wasn't.

In fact, it looked as if all hell had broken loose. And at the center of the fray were a pregnant blonde girl and a red haired toddler who Kate, from her cage, was staring at in recognition.

_They're new… wonder where they came from…_

And then it dawned on her.

They had invaded the fuselage camp.

OOO

"I choose you, Machop!" Chris shouted loudly, throwing the almost-perfectly spherical rock in front of him.

He knew Pokémon weren't real (if they were, it would be super awesome, and maybe his dad could be a gym leader), but he was scared. Though he liked the jungle, he didn't like being there alone. Especially when he could see the sky getting dark, like rain was about to fall. So to make himself feel brave, and a little less alone, he pretended that he was on his way to Viridian City, and his faithful Pokémon were there to protect him from any of the dangers that were out there.

Ahead he saw a bamboo thicket. He remembered that place- he wanted to play hide and seek with Uncle Shawn there. Uncle Shawn could _never _find him when he hid, because Chris was the best hider ever. His mom had told him so.

This was close to camp, he was almost certain. In his mind, he went back through all the landmarks he'd picked out while he walked with Mia, Claire, and Lizzie- the bamboo, the thick rubber tree with the branches perfect for building a tree house, the eroded rock that looked like a gorilla's face. The only thing he hadn't seen again was the waterfall and the large pond it flowed into, but he was sure he would find it again.

Mia and Claire. He hoped they were okay. Claire was really pretty, and Mia had seemed mean, but she had saved him, so that meant she must be nice, right? Then again, Goodwin was really nice, but he was the bad guy. It was all very confusing.

A graveling, loud squawk resounded behind him, echoing through the trees, making him jump. Chris broke into a run, moving as fast as his little legs could carry him. He'd heard the grown-ups talking, whispers about polar bears and monsters. There was no way he was going to stand around and get eaten.

He dove into the bamboo, hiding in a patch that closed around him like a tight circle. Nothing could get him in there. In the distance there was another squawk, then silence.

Then the whispers started.

They were all around him, sometimes moving closer, sometimes farther away. He tried to hear what they were saying, but nothing was clear. Chris curled up into a ball on the ground trying to disappear into the dirt.

"LIZZIE!" The first shout made him jump. Chris thought he recognized the voice.

"CLAIRE! CHRIS! MIA!"

"CLAAAIIIIIRRRRRRE!" That was his dad!

"DAD!" he shouted. "DAD DAD DAD DAD!" Without hesitation, he bolted out of the bamboo. "DAD!"

"Chris!"

They weren't far away from him. Careening out of control, he slammed into his dad's leg, wrapping it tight in his arms. Chris _knew _his dad would come for him, just like Mia said. He might be grumpy sometimes, but he'd never abandon him to the bad guys.

"Where's Claire, Chris?" Brad asked.

"I think we should see if your son is alright," Jack chided, leaning down toward him, his face close to his. "Did Goodwin hurt you?"

"You know it's Goodwin? Mia wanted me to tell you it was him. She stayed with Claire and Lizzie to keep them safe."

"Can you tell us where, Chris?" Jack asked.

"No problem!"He was only too happy to help.

OOO

_"Need someone to walk you home?" Angela asked Blair as they stepped out of Audrey's house. "I know your dad's on duty down at the construction site for the next few hours. Did he leave you supper? You can come over and eat with Alice, Charlotte and I!" _

_ For a moment, Blair thought about going, but the idea of eating dinner with the twin toddlers was wholly unappealing. At three, they hadn't gotten past the throwing food and whining phase, and she could only tolerate it in small doses. _

_ Ahead, at the playground, she spotted her saving grace- her two best friends in the whole world. "Thanks Angela, but I'm gonna go play with Ben an' Annie. Thanks for the lemonade!" _

_ The older woman smiled. "No problem, kiddo. We'll do it again soon! And make sure you're inside before it's dark!" she reminded with a wave, continuing her walk home. _

_ Excited to see Annie, and especially Ben, Blair ran as hard as she could over to the playground. "Hi guys!" she screeched as loud as she could. Annie squealed in delight, jumping off the swing to give her a hug, while Ben just smiled slightly, pushing his glasses farther up on his nose. _

_ Annie and Blair had been friends since the day Joshua, the meanest bully at the DI school, had decided to make fun of the older girl. Unlike Annie, Blair was unusually good at picking fights, and decked Josh hard in the mouth, splitting his lip. After a brief scolding, done in show to make Josh's mom think she was being punished, her father had given her a high five, invited Annie over, and cooked her favorite dinner, spaghetti and meatballs. A year later, when Ben arrived and immediately became a target of Josh's bullying, he'd quickly been brought into the fold. The three were inseparable._

_ She took a spot on the swing next to Annie. "Push me Ben?"_

_ He silently agreed, moving around to where he could push her. The sun was beginning to set, and the lights around the compound were turning on. The fluorescence cast shadows, but Blair knew what she saw on Ben's face wasn't one. "Ben," she said sternly, almost like a mother. "Josh didn't punch you again today did he?"_

_He looked up in surprise mid-push, and had to duck to avoid being hit by Blair coming backwards. "What… this? Oh… no… no I just walked into a door." He gave her a toothy grin that allayed all but an inkling of her fears. "At least I didn't break my glasses again," he joked, giving her another push on the swing. _

_ Next to her, Annie laughed at his words, but Blair wasn't able to. She wasn't sure what bothered her so much, only that she was certain it wasn't the entire truth. She tried to figure out a way to question what Ben said without getting him mad, but she never got a chance._

_ Above them, the alarm sirens started to resound and the fluorescent warning lights began to flash. _

_ There were Hostiles in the compound. _

OOO

"Amir, could you just slow down and tell me what happened," Blair insisted, cutting across the Higgins's back lawn. She half expected Emily to be hanging upside-down from a tree branch, as the girl spent more time above ground than on the ground. However; seeing as something worthy of gossip was apparently occurring, it was no surprise she wasn't. Emily, the teenage gossip queen, despised being the second to find out the juicy news.

In front of her, Amir huffed. "I don't even know how to explain this one. But you're not gonna be happy." He glanced down at his watch. "Shit, I've gotta change the media on my cell cultures. Everyone's out by the cages. See ya."

Amir lived by one clock- the timer on his lab bench. Nothing, not even the end of the world, would move him from his precious experiments. And God help the person who contaminated his samples. When she first started working with him, she'd accidentally contaminated a cell line, and he'd nearly gone berserk.

Blair sighed. Who was out by the cages that couldn't come up to Senna's house and speak to her?

The chatter was quiet at first, but Blair could tell there was a crowd outside. As she rounded the corner, she recognized Madelyn's long blonde hair, tied back in a ponytail.

Who she didn't recognize was the heavily pregnant blonde girl and the red haired baby.

Of course she knew _who _they were. The question was what they were doing there. "Madelyn, what the hell!" she nearly shouted, before checking her temper. No use causing a scene, it would only cause more rumors. "Has anyone notified Ben?"

"I'll go get him!" Madelyn said enthusiastically, nearly sneering.

"Don't even think about it. Emily, will you please go get him?" The teen assented and left.

Blair folded her arm across her chest, moving closer to Madelyn so she could whisper, "So who's the ring leader, Maddy. We all know you're incapable of thinking for yourself." It was a low blow, but she wanted some damn answers. "Think this is gonna impress Ben? Well guess again, cause you're out of line this time."

"Oh take your little pit bull act and shove it Blair," Madelyn replied just as quietly, passing baby Lizzie to Peyten, who was making faces at the crying girl to cheer her up. "When has he ever gotten mad at me? Ben's going to be so pleased with what we did-"

"We who?" she demanded.

"We us," she heard behind her. Turning she saw Goodwin emerging from the jungle, wiping the dirt from his hands. "Don't worry Maddy, I'm taking care of our little problem."

Blair frowned. "What little problem?"

"Mia Prince."

And in a moment, it felt like Blair's whole world had fallen apart.

OOO

It had started off a mild irritation, but by the time Brad got back to camp, he was downright pissed.

He was happy as hell Chris was safe. As his son hugged his leg, he'd said a little prayer of thanks for the first time in years. But when Jack had sent him back to camp, scolding him like a child for wanting to continue the hunt for the missing, it made him angry. No one took him seriously around camp. Jack had chosen Locke over him- _Locke! _The guy was ancient. He should have gone back with Chris. At least Brad would have been of some use to the others.

"Take care of your son, Brad," Jack had reminded him. He'd wanted to punch him for looking so smug, and if time wasn't of the essence, he might have.

"Hey! Hey someone's back!" he heard Walt shout from near the stream.

"Walt!" Chris shouted. "Guess what! I went on an a'venture!"

An adventure. At least his experiences with Goodwin hadn't traumatized him. Hopefully it meant that the girls were alright as well. If anything happened to Claire… well he wouldn't want to be Goodwin if that happened.

"Hey man, any word on the others yet?" Michael asked, slapping him on the back and offering a water bottle.

"No, the others are still out there looking. Mia set Chris free so he could come back and warn us," Brad answered, gulping the water. He saw Mackenzie, face entirely blank, sitting with Charlie who was massaging her ankle. "Hey Kenz," he called out. "Don't worry- Chris said Claire was alright when Mia set him free. She's gonna look out for your cousin." Mackenzie smiled back her thanks weekly.

"Damn, we should be out there looking for them," Michael lamented, shaking his head. "Locke says he doesn't need us. We should have every damned able bodied person out there looking. If it was my kid, I'd want that."

Walt interrupted, "But Mr. Locke said—"  
"You welcomed Chris back to camp yet, buddy?" Michael asked, shooing his son away.

Brad rolled his eyes. "Glad I'm not the only newbie to the dad club here. You know, Locke and Jack went north to hunt for Goodwin. But that man knows the island better than any of us. What if he circled around and went south. No one's looking."

Mike smiled. "They're not, are they?"

Fifteen minutes later, with packs filled with water and food, Brad called over his shoulder to Iris, "Hey! Can you watch Walt and Chris for us? Thanks!"

"Brad! Your kid was kidnapped. Don't you think he needs you right now?" Iris shouted back indignantly.

He didn't respond. Chris was totally fine- he was sitting there playing backgammon with Walt and Hurley. He didn't need his old dad sitting around helping him. At this moment, the only person who needed him was Claire.

OOO

_ God, please let them find me. I swear, I'll keep the baby, I'll bring him to church and raise him, just please let Jack and Brad find us, _Claire Littleton thought as she watched the two blonde haired woman argue. She had no idea where she was, Goodwin had taken Mia away from her, dragging the teen into the jungle, and now they were handing off Lizzie to another stranger. Why were they taking everyone away from her?

"We us."

The moment she heard Goodwin's voice emerging from the jungle, she instinctively wrapped an arm around her belly, protecting her baby. Whatever this man wanted to do to her, he was not going to harm her child. However, he seemed entirely uninterested in her. He was talking about taking care of the problem… Mia.

"Where is she, you sodding bastard!" she shouted. Claire normally didn't use words like that, but the girl had freed Chris instead of freeing herself, sacrificing her own freedom to protect her. She was in her debt. "Where is Mia?"

"I'm sure she's fine," she heard another voice, male and monotone, coming from the houses. He was entirely calm- almost disturbing- and Claire didn't dare speak again. "Becca, Cassie, why don't you show Claire where she'll be staying while she's visiting us, alright?"

The short brunette shot the bug eyed man a look. "Whatever Ben. Come on. Let's go. Cassie?"

"I'm coming," the other girl said. She tucked a pen behind her ear from where she was jotting in a notebook, pushing her curly blonde hair away from her face. They were about the same age, Becca being slightly older.

They walked along a dirt path, well worn down and lined with white houses, each one nearly identical to the one next door. It looked like one of the pleasant Sydney suburbs she and Tom had driven through, searching for a home. They knew they couldn't afford it, but it was nice to dream about where they and the baby would live.

The houses were bypassed, and they were walking back into the jungle. "Where are you taking me?"

Becca rolled her eyes. "We have a hospital facility out here, all set up for when your baby is born. We took you for your own good."

Claire snorted. "Oh yeah, kidnapping me did a whole lot of good. If I hadn't already been in false labor, the shock of that would have triggered it. I'm sure _that's _healthy."

Cassie giggled, shooting her a small smile that Becca wasn't able to see. She seemed more normal, not like the other people she'd encountered in this strange town. As they walked along the path, deeper into the jungle, they remained silent. Claire felt her stomach churning, but she didn't dare run in fear of harming the baby.

After about fifteen minutes, Becca exclaimed, "Here we are!" Two steel doors emerged out of the ferns. Giving them a hard pull, the girl opened them. "You're rooms are set up downstairs."

As Becca spoke, Cassie had moved behind her. Claire felt the girl's arm reach around her, tucking something into her pocket. "I'm so sorry about this," she whispered.

_Sorry for what? _Claire wondered. It was then that she felt the prick in the back of her neck, and everything went black.

OOO

_ Blair was terrified, absolutely terrified. The last time the hostiles had broken through the fence, was when Jim LaFleur and his bunch arrived, and it hadn't been an attack. They only wanted justice for the loss of their men, and LaFleur had been able to settle it without violence. That night, the sirens hadn't gone off. _

_ Tonight they were, and the noise had her frozen in place. _

_ "Blair… BLAIR!"_

_ She'd never heard Ben raise his voice before. It was strange, but it was enough to knock her out of her stupor. "Whassamatter?"_

_ "We need to run!" _

_ Looking around her, she saw Annie was already gone. She must have bolted at the first blast of the air horn. Suddenly, behind her, she heard a sharp pop, followed by the clang of metal. Looking up, there was a dent in the metal bar of the swing set. A bullet was lodged there. _

_ "Let's go Blair!" Yanking her hard by the arm, Ben dragged her off the swing, causing her to fall. The gravel beneath the swings dug into her knees, and she felt them cut through her skin._

I'm not gonna cry… not gonna cry…

_ "You're house is closer! Come on Blair!" They ran as hard as they could, bullets soaring close to them. She couldn't figure out why they were attacking, why there would be any cause to attack. Since Amy's husband was killed everyone had been so careful._

_ The distance to her house never seemed so far. Ben's legs were much longer than her's, and she could hardly keep up with him. Still, he never let go of her hand, squeezing it tight, and it made her feel better. "Where's Annie?"_

_ "I don't know, she just ran!"_

_ Ben yanked the door to her house open, pushing her inside. The lights were off, and the last vestiges of sun were gone. He didn't turn on any lights, just slammed the door shut, and pulled Blair onto the floor, still holding her hand. They sat in the darkness panting, Blair trembling uncontrollably. She felt Ben shaking too, and felt better knowing she wasn't the only person who was afraid._

_ "You alright, Bee?" Ben asked._

_ "Yeah. Thanks for saving my life Ben."_

_ "'No problem. You're my best friend. You would have done the same." He gave her a quick hug, but he rushed to pull away almost the second they touched. _

_ "LET ME IN!" A fist pounded on the door. Instantly, Blair recognized the voice._

_ "Open the door Ben! That's Josh! We have to let him in!" She could still hear the bullets outside. Ben hesitated, seemingly unsure if he wanted to open the door. Blair couldn't believe he would actually hesitate. Josh might be a bully, but he didn't deserve to die. Pushing Ben aside, she swung the door open, grabbing Josh by the collar and pulling him in. _

_ "Thanks. I owe you two. Really. You alright?"_

_ "Have you seen Annie?" Josh's face dropped at the name, and he was silent. "Josh where's Annie?" _

_ "I saw her lying on the ground. Over by her house. I don't… I don't know if she's okay. She wasn't moving."_

_ The tears Blair was holding back started falling. She buried her face in Ben's shirt, bawling, snot dripping from her nose. How could Annie be dead? How could this happen? Everything had been fine not twenty minutes ago. _

_ The three sat in the darkness, waiting, Blair sobbing intermittently, for almost an hour. _

_ "I FOUND THEM!" she heard someone shout from above her. Looking up, she saw Angela and Mira. "THE KIDS ARE OKAY! WE FOUND THEM!"_

_ They were surrounded by people- Josh's parents crying, Ben's father looking serious, Horace. The boys left shortly after with their relieved parents. Mira remained with Horace, both frowning. _

_ "Is Annie okay?" Blair asked. "And where's my dad?"_

_ Mira and Horace shared a look before the woman sat down next to her. "Blair, sweetie, we need to talk."_

OOO

Mia Prince. That file had stayed with her long after she first saw the blonde girl's picture and read the details of her life. They hadn't obtained her mother's name yet, but Blair was certain she knew it. Absolutely certain, because Mia her spitting image. And apparently named after her mother as well.

Since then, she'd felt just tiniest twinge of protectiveness toward the girl.

"Might I ask what's going on here," Ben asked casually once Cassie and Becca had led Claire into the jungle, pulling her from her thoughts. Oh, Madelyn and Goodwin were in for it now. This was going to be fabulous.

Goodwin smiled confidently. "I felt that Jason and Blair were not moving fast enough with taking passengers from the fuselage. Especially with Claire- she could have the baby any day, and we cannot pass up the chance to study her. Elizabeth happened to be left with me and Claire while the others went to get help, so I took her as well. We were planning on taking the children anyway. The opportunity presented itself—"

_The pretentious bastard!_

"That's not how we work, and you know it, Goodwin," Blaire interrupted. "_You _are just a liaison. You wait for my signal, or for Josh's. That's when we take them. My timetable, not yours. And what about Mia?"

Ben held up a hand. "Now, let's not be hasty Blair."

Wait a second, Ben was agreeing with Goodwin? He was supporting what he and Madelyn did? How could this be happening? Blair felt betrayed. Ben was her best friend, above all, and he had always trusted her instincts.

"Who is Mia, and what did you do to her?"

"She wasn't a good person!" Madelyn interrupted hastily. "Ben, you wouldn't have wanted her, so we took care of her for you. She wasn't good enough!"

Pandering. God, how sick she was of Madelyn's pandering to Ben. The woman was mindless.

"It's true. Mia was not a good person Ben. She tried to stop me from taking Claire. I left her in the jungle."

Blair felt her stomach drop. "You WHAT?"

"It had to be done. For the sake of the island. She could have destroyed everything. Perhaps the polar bears will take care of her; perhaps she'll make it back to camp. Even if she does, she'll be half starved and crazed."

Blair was speechless. This was impossible. Sure, every sign told them that Mia would not be an asset to their community. Every action said Mia should not be one of them. But there was something about that girl, so much potential, if she was anything like her mother.

Goodwin shrugged his shoulder, the smug look never leaving his face. What did he have to worry about? Ben didn't seem annoyed by his early action.

"You shouldn't have done that Goodwin," Ben said. "But what's done is done. We needed Claire here. Now she is. Could we get back to work now? Pickett, I believe you're needed over at the quarry."

And that was it.

The crowd dispersed, Goodwin winking at Madeline and heading back into the jungle.

"What the hell are you thinking?" Blair hissed at the back of Ben's head, practically stalking him to his house. "You let Goodwin undermine me. You let him undermine _you._ And that poor girl—"

"That poor girl could stand a chance. I saw the picture in Juliet's files. Don't tell me I'm the only one who recognized her. If you think she deserves to have a chance, go save her. Just don't go alone"

She wanted to grab him by the shoulder and shake him til his glasses fell off. He made her feel like a total idiot right now, in front of all their neighbors. Yet his words just now seemed to hint that he wasn't in agreement with Goodwin's actions. Why the hell did he always have to be so damned mysterious?

But he felt it too. She wasn't crazy.

Blair was determined- she was going to find Mia. Stopping in her house, she grabbed her gun- it was mostly there for show, but she wasn't going into the jungle without it. She looked around outside, and saw Anna Lucas entering her house.

"Anna! Don't go inside. Ben has a mission for us in the jungle. Let's move- and fast."

Anna nodded, though she frowned in annoyance, and silently followed her. She'd always been a quiet girl. Behind her, Blair heard a laugh. "You're gonna want to move fast," Madelyn said, with a knowing smile. "Cause when Goodwin said he took care of Mia… well, he really did _take care _of her."

Ignoring the desire to punch the bitch in the face, she grabbed Anna by the wrist and ran as fast as she could.

OOO

"Natty, you have everything you need for the night?" Lalah asked, packing her own bag.

The teenager nodded, tying her sweatshirt around her waist. "Yup. Everything packed and ready to go. I'm gonna go see if Shannon needs some help. She's grabbing a bag for Boone when he gets back."

"Sounds good to me. Can you make sure that someone packed a bag of Lizzie and Katherine's things too? I don't know if anyone took care of that."

"Sure thing! I think Steve was looking for something to do." Tossing her backpack over her shoulder, Natalie headed off.

"Sure it wasn't Scott?" Lalah muttered under her breath. Looking around her tent, she tried to figure out what was most important to pack. She was nervous that these other people might try and ransack the camp while they were away. Nandi's passport and her picture of the kids were already tucked safely in her bag. She tossed in some essential clothes and a magazine or two to pass the time and keep her mind off the day's events.

The flap of her tent was pushed aside and sun poured in. "Whatcha doin' there, Mama Bear? And where's Papa?"

"Mama Bear? Really Sawyer?" She smiled in amusement, though she made sure he couldn't see her. Couldn't let him go and think she actually enjoyed his nicknames.

Sawyer chuckled as he allowed the flap to close. "Hell yes, the way you try and be a mama to everyone around this camp. Almost had me terrified yesterday when you came to get that list. Say where is Papa Bear?"

"I'm assuming you mean Jay? He went up to the caves with Katherine to make sure she didn't follow Jack and the others into the jungle. She's watching over Sayid. Now are you ready to go or not? We're all moving up together."

She didn't particularly want to leave the beach camp, but Jay was right. So long as they were down in numbers at both camps, it was safer to combine into one. Though, considering the way their luck ran, today would be the day the rescue boats arrived, and they'd all miss it.

"Ali's back?"

"Yes, _Sayid_ is back. Now I know you're not the kind of person to leave your stash of supplies sitting open on the beach, but if it's not packed and ready to go to the caves in the next ten minutes when I finish packing Jay a bag, I'm gonna let the Mongol hordes in to take what they want."

Sawyer whistled under his breath. "Jesus woman. You're a slave driver. Mind if I help pack Papa Bears bags? I'm… well, hell, I'm intrigued by our nature photographer with the mindset of a military captain."

"Ever just thought he's a vet?" she asked, moving out of the tent to Jay's next door.

Sawyer swaggered out behind her, though he did not enter Jay's tent. Which was a good thing, mind you, because he was annoying her to the point that she might have tackled him if he tried. "Nobody keeps somethin' like that a secret. Not normal people."

"Seven minutes and counting, Sawyer," she called back outside.

Lalah had thought about telling him off. Thought about giving him a lecture that some soldiers came back with wounds much deeper than appeared on the surface, and having witnessed the horrors of war, chose not to discuss their service. But she didn't. She didn't want to admit to Sawyer that he might be right.

Because as she pulled a pair of jeans and a t-shirt out of his bag, a handgun fell out onto the sand.

OOO

They'd split up about an hour ago, which was about the same time that Jason decided he was going to strangle Goodwin, knock out Josh and Oliver, and give Blair a piece of his mind for tricking him into believing that everything was fine. Locke and Boone headed a separate way into the jungle where two makeshift trails had diverged, leaving him with Ryan and Jack. Jason wished he'd had an idea of which way Goodwin had gone, wished he had some way to clue them in, but both trails were well known by him and all of his people.

It was starting to rain now, thick gray clouds swirling like smoke from an industrial plant moving over head, blocking any light that tried to break through the trees. Storms were usual this time of year, but this seemed atypical.

Jack was manic, out of control, muttering under his breath as they ran. Ryan had surprised Jason thus far, keeping up easily as they ran. They shared a look of partial disdain and complete worry that the man who assumed leadership of the survivors had gone insane in his own guilt.

"We need to slow down, Jack!" he heard Ryan shout as a roll of thunder sounded, shaking the trees around them.

"I IGNORED HER!" Jack shouted in frustration. "I caused this; I told her she was crazy. Now I need to fix this." He kept running.

Jason remained silent, though he agreed with Ryan. The rubber soles of his shoes slid against the slime and moss coated rocks, not to mention the hidden logs and the crazy Frenchwoman's traps. Honestly, there were more unsafe places to step than step.

"Jack!" Ryan called out again, pulling Jason from his thoughts and proving his theory correct. Helplessly, he watched as Jack skidded across the deal leaves, over a small ledge, tumbling to the ground below.

"D'you see a way down?" he asked, though he already knew there was one. He had to keep his ruse up. His situation was precarious enough now that he'd been abandoned by his own people.

"I think…" Ryan started, before his face went entirely white. "JACK! Behind you!"

Jack had just stood, shaking himself off as Goodwin approached him from behind. Turning around, Jack lunged, swinging his fist hard as he could into Goodwin's face. It took the older man by surprise, as all evidence showed that the doctor was a keeper of the peace. Jason couldn't help but smile as he watched Goodwin stumble backwards.

"Let it go, Jack!" Goodwin said ominously. "Let them go."

Jason easily climbed down the ledge that Ryan indicated as Jack launched himself at Goodwin. Better prepared this time, the older man evaded him, leaving Jack only a mud-streaked shirt for his effort. "I said give up! There are others that will help me."

"And what if we don't?" Jason asked, mockingly. God, he hated this son of a bitch.

"I'll kill them one-by-one."

Jason couldn't take it. Fury and anger filled him, and he screamed, "They're just kids!" Adrenaline surged, and he grabbed Goodwin around the neck, pulling him into a chokehold.

Fighting wasn't his specialty, though, and Goodwin easily flipped him over his shoulder into the mud next to Jack. Ryan was still struggling down the cliff.

"Leave them behind, or it's all over, Jack. It's over."

And as soon as it started, Goodwin was gone.

He took Ryan's offered hand, standing. Jack pulled himself together, and was off again, following straight on Goodwin's trail.

They sprinted behind him, entirely lost now. Ten, fifteen, twenty minutes passed, and he was certain he had no idea where he was anymore.

And that's when Jack stopped running.

OOO

"Blair! Blair, where are we going? Why is this girl so important?" she heard Anna beg, trying to keep up with her. She'd described the mission to the girl only in the vaguest of terms as they ran, though how much Anna actually heard was up in the air.

"I think I knew her mother! She lived at Dharma with me and Ben when we were kids, Mia's the spitting image of her. I'm not abandoning her to die. I owe her mom that much."

"But shouldn't we form a search party or something?" Anna asked, shoving the branches aside. "How are we supposed to—oh dear God!"

Crashing out of the trees, Blair could barely keep herself from throwing up at the site before her. She felt Anna run into her back, sending her lunging forward. Above them, Mia's limp Body, used by Goodwin for his little whim hung from the branches, swaying like a heavy, rain soaked rag doll, despite the fact that the storm had not brought any winds with it. Her heart was bursting in her chest.

This was not what they did. Ben had promised the Purge was the end of behavior like this. They were supposed to be the good guys.

How could she believe the words she so-often told their prisoners, when the people she was supposed to trust went out and did things like this.

"You can climb, right Anna? I need you to climb up for me and cut her down. I'll catch her. We can save her!" Blair said. The minutes were wasting, and who knew Goodwin had left her like that.

"She's dead Blair; we can't do anything for her but bring her back to her people."

"GET UP THERE!" she shouted, feeling almost insane. No one would ever understand what Mia's mother had done for her as a child. She would not abandon the girl now. "_PLEASE _Anna, I'm begging you."

There was desperation filling her voice, and Anna realized it. "Give me a boost."

With all her strength, she lifted Anna up so she could grab a lower branch. Anna easily maneuvered through the branches, and it dawned on Blair where Emily had acquired her superior climbing skills. Reaching the branch, she edged along it slowly, balancing herself with care. "I've got it, are you ready?"

"Who are you people?"

Blair felt foolish. In her intensity and determination, she'd failed to listen to her surroundings. Jason, Jack, and Ryan were staring at them. "What did you do to her?" Jack nearly screamed, his face contorting.

She pulled her gun, making all three of the men step back. Jason looked at her like she was insane, anger in his eyes. "This was NOT part of the plan! No one was supposed to get hurt. Now are you going to help me save her or not. Anastasia, let her down!"

"Blair, what the hell that's not my—"

"Shut up and let her down!" Yes, she'd changed Anna's name. Ryan could not know that his sister was alive on the island. It would risk too much. "I'm sorry. Once she's down, get home, please!"

Anna did as she was told, and Blair signaled for Jack and Ryan to step forward and grab the girl. Her lips were tinged blue, her body limp and rag like. She held the gun steady, though she knew she wouldn't use it. They just had to think she would. "Can you save her?"

She was taking deep breaths, trying not to hyperventilate. "I don't know, but I'm sure as hell gonna try," Jack replied, shooting her a dirty look.

He started pounding on her chest, fist pummeling the girl. Every strike made her cringe, and Ryan and Jason were looking on in anguish. She'd have a hell of a bruise if she made it through this.

"Jack, just let her go," Ryan said, grabbing his fist as he went to strike for the seventeenth time. "Let her rest in peace, Jack, there's nothing we can do!"

Blair felt tears in her eyes, feeling as if she betrayed her old friend. This wasn't how it was supposed to end. "Please, God, please keep trying." The gun was swaying wildly in her trembling hands.

Jack kept striking, kept hitting as hard as he could, and every time she felt more tears leak out of her eyes.

Until the teenager coughed, sitting up, gasping for air. She grabbed Jack, clinging to him as she was trying to get her body back under control.

Before the three men could say anything, Blair slipped away. Comforted in the fact that Mia was alright, she slipped back into the jungle. No matter whose side Ben took, Goodwin was in for it this time.

Blair Wilson was not going to let him live this down.

OOO

_ Blair had never been to a funeral before. When Amy's husband died, there was no body to bury, so Horace arranged for a memorial service and a small tombstone to be erected in the DI cemetery. And two years back, when old man Peter's accidentally drown, his body was shipped back to the mainland for the funeral._

_ It was a six year record that was broken not once, but twice, in one week. Blair never wanted to cry this much ever again as long as she lived._

_ Annie had been buried two days ago, with her Russian nesting dolls and her favorite red dress. Blair had stood with Ben and Josh, bawling her eyes out as she watched one of her two best friends lowered into the ground. Ben had been leery about allowing Josh into their circle at first, but when school had resumed two days after the battle and Ben was left alone at recess because Blair refused to get out of bed, Josh had socked a bully for mocking his glasses. In Blair's book, that made Josh alright._

_ They'd stayed at the cemetery, watching as everyone took a turn throwing orchids in Annie's grave, watching the workmen shovel the rain drenched soil onto the wooden casket until they could no longer hear the pebbles bouncing off the wood. Mira and the quiet girl who's name Blair still didn't know waited for them, and made sure they all got home. Blair had been staying with the two women, though Mira was the only one she really interacted with._

_ The sun was shining today, almost mocking them with its warmth. She was back in the cemetery, standing with Josh and Ben, only this time she couldn't cry. Mostly because she still couldn't accept that her dad was dead. It was almost as if she was an outside observer, watching as these people mourned._

_ Horace finished his speech, about dedication and love and meeting up again someday. Blair didn't want to wait- she wanted her father now, and that's when the tears came loose. Mira gently pushed the boys aside so she could lead her to the empty hole, and Blair tossed the first orchid onto her father's casket._

_ As the members of the community trailed away, she turned to Mira. "Can I stay here alone for a while? I just want to say goodbye to my dad…"_

_ "Of course sweetie," Mira whispered. "Take all the time you need. I'll get dinner started."_

_ She sat silently on the ground between Annie and her father's tombstones, wondering how things had changed so quickly. No one was quite sure what to do with her now- Horace was trying to find out if she had family back on the mainland that would want to adopt her. _

_ As the sky darkened, Blair turned for home, only to see the quiet girl waiting for her. "Mira was worried," she said softly. "I know how it feels, my mom and dad died when I was young too. A lot of my friends as well."_

_ "And your boyfriend" Blair added, realizing after how rude it was to rub it in. The girl's face grew sad for a moment. "Does it ever stop hurting?"_

_ "Yeah, yeah it does, for the most part. But you'll always miss them. That's how you know you really love somebody." The girl hesitated, trying to decide if she should continue. "When you grow up, Blair, you're gonna be a really strong woman. I know it doesn't seem that way now, but you're going to find a life that makes you so, so happy. And all this will only be a memory."_

_ "How do you know?" Blair demanded._

_ "Trust me, I know. I can… I can just tell." She offered her hand and Blair took it. _

_ "What's your name?" she finally asked, realizing that if they were going to live together, she ought to know her name._

_ The girl smiled. "It's Mia. Mia Davenport."_

OOO

Despite the earlier downpour, the humidity was still overbearing. The grainy feeling of sand stuck to Nikki's sweat covered body, sliding underneath her tank top, made it nearly unbearable. And to think, she had been thrilled when Jack and Sayid agreed that it would probably be safe to go back to the beach. To them, it appeared that Goodwin- the Others, as Sayid had referred to them- had everything he wanted.

Everything except Mia's death.

She couldn't get the image out of her head. Mia curled up in Jack's arms, asleep, thank God, and not dead. Ryan and Jason with shell shocked looks in their eyes. And stuck in her mind so vividly, the welts around her neck, black and purple, where the rope had dug into her neck.

Understandably, Jack insisted they be on their guard. Jay and Michael were taking the first watch, sitting near the signal fire that Sayid had thanked her profusely for keeping burning while he was away. He'd wanted to thank Boone as well, but he and Locke had yet to return from their hunt for Claire.

She hated to admit just how worried she was about him, especially after seeing what happened to Mia. If Goodwin would try and murder a kid, what would he do to Boone and Locke, who were an actual threat?

Turning over, she stretched out as far as she could, feeling more sand pour into the socks she wore from when the humidity broke and the beach inevitably grew cold. Outside her tent she heard a shuffle, feet sliding through the sand. Immediately she was on her guard, her stomach churning in worry. Above her head, she felt around for something hard, just in case someone had gotten past the guys on guard.

"Nikki? You awake?"

She heaved a sigh of relief. Boone was back. "I'm here. Come in. Where were you guys?"

The signal fire provided just enough light that she could see him smile in the shadows. "Locke had a hunch… he thinks he may have picked up a trail that we're gonna try following tomorrow. Probably gonna be gone all day again." He gave her a sympathetic look. "I know you wanted to chill tomorrow, but with everything that happened—"

"No! Don't worry about it, finding Claire and Lizzie totally takes priority right now. We'll have plenty of time to chill once we get rescued, anyways. Besides, I have plans for tomorrow too with Lalah and Iris."

"Girls day out?" he joked.

"Not quite."

He kept sitting there, half-smiling, and she fidgeted waiting for him to speak. The silence was unusually awkward for the two of them. She could hear every breath he took across from her as they sat there for an eternity.

Boone sighed. "Well, maybe we can eat dinner together, if I'm back in time. G'night Nikki."

He stood to leave, pushing aside the cloth flap on her tent.

"Or you could stay here tonight."

The words shot out of her mouth faster than she intended, before her mind could even process it. Was she ready for this? She hadn't let any man get this close to her since Jayce. She and Boone had their share of troubles, but he was nothing like her ex. What the two of them had- she felt safe with him, like everything would be alright.

Shuffling over to make room for him on the cot, she knew she was ready to let Boone in. And if there were any linger doubts? They all disappeared when she felt him slip behind her and wrap his arm around her waist.

* * *

**I guess I'll start this as I always do, by apologizing for the long wait. Between work, finally getting to go home after 6 months away from my family, and trying to edit this 24 page monster of a chapter, it took a while to get this finished. I'm so appreciative of your patience, always. It really means a lot that you've all stuck with this story, despite my long absences. **

**Secondly, thanks to everyone who read the previous chapter, and especially those who took the time to review: DiorNicole, Giraffe13, Son of Adam, Unidentified Pineapples, Hope, President Laura Roslin and Golden-Black Dragon.**

**School starts in a few weeks, and I will try to have at least one more chapter up before then. Thanks all for your continued reading. I appreciate it so much. Please leave a review on your way out and let me know what you think! I always love hearing from you!  
**


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